Asclepias curassavica

Bloodflower, Mexican butterfly weed, Scarlet milkweed

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

Mind is in its origin a principle of light, an instrument put forth from the Supermind and, though set to work within limits and even set to create limits, yet the limits are luminous borders for a special working, voluntary and purposive bounds, a surface of the finite ever extending itself under the eye of infinity. It is this character of Mind that will reveal itself under the touch of Supermind and make human mentality an adjunct and a minor instrumentation of the supramental knowledge.

Sri Aurobindo, Essays in Philosophy and Yoga: Supermind and Humanity

Colour

Red, orange, and yellow

Varieties

Message of the Flower

Response of the Mind to the Supramental Light

The Mother’s Comment

Represents an important step towards realisation.

Colour

Yellow

Message of the Flower

Response of the Physical Mind to the Supramental Light

The Mother’s Comment

The physical mind eager to understand and be transformed.

Colour

Orange, red

Family

Apocynaceae

Cultivars

Silky Gold', 'Silky Deep Red', 'Red Butterfly'

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

About 1/2 inch across

Flower Texture

Smooth

Number of Petals

Five reflexed petals and five upright hoods

Floral Symmetry

Radial

Fragrance of Flower

Mildly fragrant

Leaf Texture

Smooth, slightly hairy

Leaf Arrangement

Opposite

Leaf Color

Green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous perennial

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Summer to early fall.

Climate

Subtropical to tropical

Water Requirements

Drought-tolerant once established

Soil Type

Well-drained

Temperature Ranges

Frost-sensitive, prefers warm temperatures

Sun or Shade

Full sun to partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to aphids; oleander aphids can be particularly problematic

Pollinators

Attracts butterflies, especially Monarchs, and bees

Habitat

Native to the American tropics

Role in the Ecosystem

Host plant for Monarch butterflies; provides nectar for various pollinators

Ornamental

Popular in butterfly gardens and as a landscape plant

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Mainly ornamental and ecological (butterfly gardening)

Endangered Status

Not listed as endangered