Plant · GBIF taxon 3579089
Calotropis gigantea
Calotropis giganteaAlso known as Giant Milkweed, Crown Plant, Madar, Bowstring Hemp
Crown flowers form tall, woody shrubs renowned for waxy, star-shaped blooms with a prominent central crown. Rich in sticky milky latex, the plant produces powerful chemical defenses that deter most herbivores while providing critical food for monarch and plain tiger butterfly larvae. Native across tropical Asia, it thrives in sunny coastal dunes, roadsides, and disturbed soils.
FloweringHost PlantToxic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic
Predators
- Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars
- Plain Tiger Butterfly Caterpillars
- Oleander Aphids
ThreatsLand development, weed eradication
HabitatsTropical dry scrub, coastal dunes, roadsides, disturbed land
Life span10–20 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderGentianales
- FamilyApocynaceae
- GenusCalotropis
- SpeciesCalotropis gigantea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Milky latex contains cardiac glycosides that irritate skin and eyes; do not ingest or touch broken stems.
- Why it is dangerous
- Contains toxic cardiac glycosides like calotropin that cause severe vomiting and heart disturbances if ingested, plus milky latex that burns eyes.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by broad pale leaves, sticky white sap, and waxy purple or white crown-shaped flowers.
- What to do
- Observe without breaking stems or leaves; wash skin immediately if sap makes contact.
Responsible observation
- Caterpillar Hunting: Inspect the underside of broad leaves for monarch or plain tiger larvae.
- Flower Details: Examine the waxy central crown structure closely without plucking the blossoms.
- Sap Safety: Avoid snapping stems or leaves to prevent milky latex from spraying onto skin.
Larval Host (c) i_c_riddell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by i_c_riddell · cc-by
Larval Host Sid Mosdell from New Zealand / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Frequent Companion (c) Franz Anthony, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Franz Anthony · cc-by
Close Relative Vinayaraj / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Family Relative (c) Ricard Busquets Reverte, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ricard Busquets Reverte · cc-by
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