The Tropical Milkweed
Where I grew up, the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, was part of my environment. I was used to big plants like this
and large pods like this
(My Platonic Ideal Milkweed is shown in a copyrighted image here, under Asclepias syriacea.)
Imagine my surprise when a visiting botanist pointed out the “blood milkweed” – a delicate red and orange flower reminiscent of Latana (and more on that similarity another time) – in my own back yard.
