(and Why It Reveals Everything Wrong with the Current “Anti-Curassavica Crusade” in Florida) In early December 2025 I received an email that has unfortunately become all too common. A well-meaning gardener in Florida wrote to inform me that “tropical milkweed seeds” (Asclepias curassavica) had somehow contaminated the native milkweed seeds […]
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias Curassavica)
Tropical Milkweed, Scarlet Milkweed, Mexican Butterflyweed, or Bloodflower.
The Truth About Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica): A Florida-Native Species Worth Understanding
Let’s be clear: Tropical Milkweed is indeed a Florida-native species within USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and above.
Where in the World is Tropical Milkweed Native?
Asclepias curassavica, commonly known as Tropical Milkweed, Mexican Butterflyweed, Bloodflower, or Scarlet Milkweed, is technically native to the Neotropical Realm, which includes several countries in the Americas and the state of Florida in the United States. Tropical Milkweed’s native range includes the following continents (and countries, states): 1. North America […]
In Which Mexican States is Tropical Milkweed Native?
Asclepias curassavica, commonly known as Tropical Milkweed, Mexican Butterflyweed, or Bloodflower, is native to several countries in the Americas, including Mexico. In Mexico, Asclepias curassavica is native to the following states: 1. Baja California 2. Baja California Sur 3. Sonora 4. Sinaloa 5. Nayarit 6. Jalisco 7. Colima 8. Michoacán […]