Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
giant milkweed
Family Name:
Apocynaceae
Botanical Name:
Calotropis procera
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The corolla of the C. procera flower is about ½ inch long and 3/4 inch wide and cupped upward with petals that are pale green below and pale lilac above. The leaves can reach lengths up to 12 inches and 7 inches across and are oppositely arranged along the branches. The leaves are covered by a coating of dense wool-like hairs that peal off in small sheets (this type of surfaced is termed "lanate"). Large white flowers in the summer produce inflated fist-size football shaped pods in the fall. The pods open in the fall to release numerous seeds attached to silky white threads (called comae) that facilitate dispersal by wind. The trunk is woody with corky bark.
Compound:
Cal pro
Geographic Origin:
Middle East/India
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The genus name Calotropis means "beautiful keel" referring to the a specialized structure called the corona in the center of the flower. The species name procera means "tall" as most milkweeds are much shorter than this plant. In Israel, the native pollinators are carpenter bees (ylocopa). Outside of its native habitat, this plant can become invasive.
Cultivation Notes:
The plant is hardy to temperatures as low as the mid-20s F.
Ethnobotany:
The leaves contain several active chemicals, including three toxic glycosides: calotropin, uscharin, and calotoin. The plant is poisonous but has been used in small amounts for folk remedies for various ailments and the plant continues to be studied for anti-coagulent and anti-cancer properties.
Height:
Width:
Growth Rate:
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
White
Function:
Spread:
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Water Use:
