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Calotropis gigantea

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Calotropis gigantea (Linn.) Aiton f.

Family Name: Apocynaceae
Synonyms: Asclepias gigantea
Common Name: Crown Flower, Remiga, Merigu, Giant Indian Milkweed, Giant Milkweed, Ivory Plant, Swallow-wort, Asclepiad Tree, Kayu Berduri, Kemengu, Rembaga, 牛角瓜, 大皇冠花

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Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form Shrub
Lifespan (in Singapore) Perennial
Mode of Nutrition Autotrophic
Plant Shape Dwarf
Maximum Height 1.2 m to 4 m
Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width 1.8 m to 2.5 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution Indian subcontinent, Southern China, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal, Desert / Arid

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form Medium to big shrub with stout rangey form, up to 4m height when planted in ground.
Foliage Leaves large, thick, tomentose-velvety, pale silvery-green with powdery bloom on both surfaces.
Fruit Fleshy capsules, curved and somewhat horned-shaped, ripening from green to yellowish-brown, and splitting apart to reveal small lightweight seeds with fine woolly hairs which assist in dispersal by wind.
Habitat Naturally distributed in areas ranging from dry woods and stream banks to roadsides.
Associated Fauna Host plant for butterflies like Danaus chrysippus (Plain Tiger) and Euploea core (Common Crow) -- caterpillars that feed on its sap-rich leaves are unpalatable to predators. Flower nectar attracts Xylocopa species (Carpenter Bees). Tufted seeds used as nest-lining by sunbirds. Also host for Aphis nerii (Yellow Aphid) colonies, which feed on the sap and breed on the plant.
Cultivation Tolerates drought and saline sites. Allow soil to dry out before watering. Give space for plant to grow. Propagate by seeds or cuttings. Member of milkweed family -- when damaged or cut, all parts of plant exude milky sap, which may cause skin irritiation in sensitive individuals. Sap is toxic to mammals, and causes vomitting and intestinal irritation when ingested. Known to have caused poisoning in grazing cattle.
Etymology Genus epithet 'Calotropis' means 'beautiful' (kalos) and 'ship keel' (tropis) in Greek, a reference to the ridged coronal scales on the flowers. Species epithet 'gigantea' means 'large', probably alluding to the size of the plant and its flowers.
Ethnobotanical Uses Edible Plant Parts : Edible Flowers
Food (Herb or Spice)
Others: Medicinal: All parts of plants considered to be medicinally effective if taken in small doses. Bark used for dermatitis and syphilis -- treatment is so effective for the latter that plant is known as 'vegetable mercury'. Leaves used as poultice. Flowers used to relieve asthma. Toxic milky sap also known to be used to induce abortions and for infanticide. Products: Plant sap used for tanning and making yellow dye. Fine fibres can be extracted from stems. Flowers are long-lasting, and often used as cut flower in floral arrangements in Thailand. Flowers also strung into leis in Hawaii.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Foliage
Landscape Uses Coastal, General, Flowerbed / Border, Beachfront / Shoreline
Thematic Landscaping Silver Garden, Butterfly Garden, Naturalistic Garden
SGMP Treatment
Usage Hazard - Cons Irritant - Sap, Toxic Upon Ingestion
Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks When injested, milky sap causes vomitting and intestinal irritation in mammals. Known cases of poisoning in cattle.

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna Butterfly Host Plant
Pollination Method(s) Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee), Insects (Butterfly, Moth))
Seed or Spore Dispersal Abiotic (Explosive Dehiscence), Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun
Water Preference Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate Moderate
Rootzone Tolerance Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Easy to Grow, Drought Tolerant
Maintenance Requirements Moderate
Propagation Method Seed, Stem Cutting

Foliar

Foliage Retention Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green, Silver / Grey
Mature Foliage Texture(s) Smooth, Velvety / Furry / Tomentose, Thick
Foliar Type Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem Opposite
Foliar Shape(s) Non-Palm Foliage (Obovate, Oblong)
Foliar Venation Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip Obtuse
Foliar Base Cordate
Typical Foliar Area Mesophyll ( 45cm2 - 182.25 cm2 )
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification Herbaceous
Root Type Underground (Fibrous Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s) Cream / Off-White, Purple, White
Flower Symmetry Radial
Flowering Period Free-Flowering
Flower Lifespan on Plant Several Days
Flowering Habit Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Fruit Classification Simple Fruit
Fruit Type Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Follicle

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID 478
Species ID 1774
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 15 February 2022.
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