Red-head cotton bush
Asclepias curassavica
family
Apocynaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Common names
Red-head cotton bush, Annual milkweed, Blood flower, Bloodflower, False ipecac, Milkweed, Red head cottonbush.
A long-lived herbaceous plant or small shrub growing up to 1.5 m tall. Its stems and leaves contain a milky white sap. Its paired leaves (5.5-15 cm long) are narrow with pointed tips. Its star-shaped flowers are red or orange with a yellow crown -like structure at the centre. Its paired fruit (5-6 cm long and 8-12 mm wide) contain numerous brown seeds topped with a tuft of long cottony hairs.
Impact
Impact
Red-head cotton bush (Asclepias curassavica) is regarded as an environmental weed in south-eastern Queensland, and was recently ranked among the 200 most invasive plants in the region. It is a common weed of open woodlands, grasslands, pastures, disturbed sites, waste areas and roadsides, but is mainly a concern in riparian areas and wetlands in this region.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Red-head cotton bush (Asclepias curassavica) is regarded as an environmental weed in south-eastern Queensland, and was recently ranked among the 200 most invasive plants in the region. It is a common weed of open woodlands, grasslands, pastures, disturbed sites, waste areas and roadsides, but is mainly a concern in riparian areas and wetlands in this region.
