Milkweed, Scarlet - Asclepias curassavica is a Caribbean and tropical native that is widely found in Florida. The flowers are attractive to all butterflies and the Monarch and Queen larvae depend on the leaves of these plants to feed their voracious appetites. We often deliver them to your Home Depot with live eggs or small monarch caterpillars as we do not spray milkweed with harmful chemicals that would kill them. These are available nearly year round especially in central and south Florida stores. Milkweed will grow in sandy soils and will reseed readily in your garden.

Optimal Light:
Sun
Mature Height:
3ft-4ft

Light Range:
Full/Part Sun
Mature Spread:
1ft-2ft

Soil Moisture:
Well-drained to Wet
Soil Texture:
Any

Wildlife:

Salt Tolerance:
Low

Florida Native:
No
Florida Region:
N,C,S

Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Hardiness Zone:
9b-11

Season of Color:
Year-round

Monarch and Queen butterflies feed on the nectar of milkweed flowers. They lay their eggs on these milkweeds and as the larvae eat the leaves they acquire the plants toxins which in turn makes them distasteful to predator birds.

Milkweed Aphids exist on every continent and there are Lady Bug predators everywhere there are aphids. If you just wait a few days the Lady Bugs will show up and clean up the aphids. If you must spray them use nothing harsher than soapy water to wash them off.

In a story from Cornell University scientists explain how plants control the food chain through evolutionary changes.

In this image from the Cornell article we see a predatory ladybug feeds upon a milkweed aphid (Aphis nerii)

A hard spray from the hose can be used to knock aphids of the stems of plants. You can also gently smash their very soft bodies between your fingers as you slide them along the stems.

You should click here and follow us on

Follow us on Facebook