Welcome back! I hope the new year is off to a good start for you!
I would like to introduce you to Giant Milkweed (Calotropsis gigantea). I was not familiar with Giant Milkweed until I came across it at my local farmer's market. Boy, was I excited! I imagined Giant Monarchs (milkweed are host plants for monarchs) coming to visit this plant. I immediately purchased a couple and planted them in our garden.
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| Giant Milkweed on the left |
Giant Milkweed is also known as bowstring hemp, crown flower, lechoso, and swallow wort. It is native to Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and India and thus prefers zones 10a-11. It can grow up to 6 feet in Florida with leathery pale green leaves and white-lavender flowers. Giant Milkweed will produce fruit (similar to a large pod) that contains seeds in white fibers. As with most Milkweeds, it prefers full sun and drier soil. You can trim it back to encourage a bushier plant. Beware: its sap is poisonous!
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| Local friends: there is a lovely specimen on Park Avenue in Winter Park |
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