The red and yellow flower colors could have been a strong hint as the identity of this plant. Once again, it’s been a learning morning for me. I photographed this in Charleston, South Carolina, recently and was surprised to learn it’s another Milkweed plant. This is Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), native to the American tropics. The flowers resemble Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa L.) while it’s different enough for me to not connect this relationship upon seeing the plant. Some sites raise concern over whether its popularity, which is leading it to be included in more northern gardens, may lead to Monarch migration confusion. Such are the complications when people put their personal inputs on garden design. Copyright 2023 Pamela Breitberg
