This is a perennial herb that grows to 1 metre tall and 1 metre wide. It belongs to the Asclepidaceae family. The genus Asclepias tolerates drought and loves the sun. Plants in this genus do have milky sap that can irritate skin, so wear gloves if doing anything with it! The flowers contain plenty of nectar, attracting bees and butterflies. The genus, Asclepias, was named after the Greek god of healing/ medicine. The species name, curassavica, means the plant comes from Curaçao in the Lesser Antilles.

• Leaves-vary from lanceolate to narrow-elliptic in shape, being 6-15cm in length and 0.8-3cm wide. They are soft, thin and glabrous when mature and sit on a petiole (leaf-stalk) that is between 2 and 20cm long.
• Flowers-appear in umbel-like cymes, red with orange-yellow coronas, 8-11mm in diameter, appear from spring to autumn.
• Cultivation-best when grown in well-drained and fertile soil, situated in full sun, can be late to appear in spring, dead-head spent flowers to prevent seed spread
• Propagation-seeds or cuttings
• Problems-aphids, can attract large numbers of them, can pop up in disturbed areas, thus care needs to be taken to ensure that this plant doesn’t spread and become weedy
• Uses-long-lasting cut flowers that in-situ can attract butterflies (although caterpillars will eat leaves), splash of colour from the flowers

I like this plant quite a lot as it does add bright colour to an area with the small flowers, without being overpowering and overtaking everything around it. It is ideal for a drier, sunny patch in the garden.

• All photos are my own
• Www.plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
• Rice, G., Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Perennials, 2011, London, Dorling Kindersley