Caltrops, Purple crown flower, Giant milkweed
Calotropis procera

Family: Apocynaceae

What it is like

A small shrub. It has broad leaves and keeps its leaves throughout the year. It grows 2-5 m high. The bark is fibrous and deeply cracked when old. The stem is simple and only occasionally branched. The leaves are opposite and simple. The leaves are greyish-green. They are broadly oval and 5-30 cm long by 3-15 cm wide. They end abruptly. The flowers are purple and white. They are in dense groups from the nodes. The fruit is simple, fleshy and inflated. It is an oblique to oval follicle 10 cm across. There are many seeds.

There are 3 Calotropis species. It has anticancer properties. Also put in the family Asclepiadaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in arid and semiarid regions in Central America. It is resistant to drought, frost and salt. It grows in the Sahel. It grows in savannah woodland. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 400-900 mm. It can grow in arid places. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,000 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Puerto Rico, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Somalia, South America, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The flower shoots are eaten young and raw. The leaves are occasionally eaten. The leaves are used for making an alcoholic drink. Caution: The sap of this plant contains calotropin that can cause damage to the heart. In Ethiopia the sap is added to milk to help it coagulate. The latex is used in beer and cheese making. The fruit is chopped into small pieces and cooked as a vegetable.

The flowers are sucked by children.

Edible parts

Flowers, caution, leaves - drink, seeds, sap, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Akanda, Ankh, Ashkhar, Bagueuone, Bawami, Belapse, Bombardera, Bombardiera, Bomboederu, Booc, Borderi, Bussuma, Cumpampam-o, Dead sea apple, King's crown, Kunaakoobu, Mandar, Mpilo, N'olim'nhe, N'olininhe, Oshur, Pama, Pampam, Panpango, Pompo pokolo, Popo-ho, Pourampo, Rui, Sageye, Small crown-flower, Tchimpampam Bfo, Thophiya, Tumfafia, Tumfafiya, Ufo, Um-olim-nhe

Synonyms

Asclepias procera Aiton; and several others