Asclepias curassavica

Bloodflower milkweed

Family: Apocynaceae · Type: annual

Bloodflower milkweed is a naturalized annual found in moist sites below 2,000 meters elevation. Flowering from summer to fall, this plant produces striking flowers with bright crimson petals and distinctive yellow or orange hoods that sit prominently above the corolla base. Growing with erect stems that are slightly hairy, it reaches moderate heights with an upright habit. Its opposite leaves are lanceolate, with short petioles and blade-like structures that complement the plant's vertical form. The plant produces distinctive seed pods that remain upright, containing seeds 5 to 7 millimeters long.

Habitat: Moist sites

Elevation: < 2000 m

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.