Calotropis gigantea

[JubaeaMan138]

Me and my wife have been doing the milkweed stuff for the last couple years and it’s always fun . This year we have expanded to some different milkweed. Just came across Calotropis gigantea curious if this can be grown in Southern California ?

thanks

[Josue Diaz]

Yes, they grow to be small trees in Fresno. They are very common among the SE Asian community here. There is a white variety and a purple one. 

[tropicbreeze]

We have the both the C. gigantea and the slightly shorter C. procera growing as weeds. Apparently in the early days the kapok in the fruits (seed pods) was used to stuff saddles. When the saddles wore out and spilled the kapok there'd always be some seeds still attached. So Calotropis was spread far and wide.

Calotropis gigantea

Calotropis procera

 

[JubaeaMan138]

Excellent !!! Just got a small one hopefully it works out . Can anyone tell me what type of soil to use for it I’m going to grow it In a pot probably until next summer.