Form: shrub/tree — perennial
Status: present in WA
A shrub or small tree growing up to four metres tall. Native to Asia and sub-tropical parts of south east Asia. Stems are smooth pale green-grey. Plant has a white milky sap.
Stems: Mature stems have beige corrugated bark with a corky appearance.
Flowers: Five waxy petals, purple and white, flowers groups of up to 15 amongst the uppermost leaves.
Leaves: Elliptical 10 to 20 centimetres long, 4 to 10 centimetres wide and arranged in pairs opposite each other, and each pair at right angles to previous pair. They have short tip and a heart shaped base. Underside of leaves has a tuff of hairs at the base of the mid vein.
Fruit: An inflated pod, 8 to12 centimetres long and nearly as wide, rounded at the base and somewhat pointed at the tip. When ripe, the fruit bursts and releases the seeds.
Seeds: They have a tuft of long silky hairs allowing them to be carried some distance by wind.
Declared pest category
The Western Australian Organism List (WAOL) contains information on the area(s) in which this pest is declared and the control and keeping categories to which it has been assigned in Western Australia (WA). Use the links on this page to reach calotropis in WAOL.
Requirements for land owners/occupiers and other persons
Requirements for land owners/occupiers and other persons if this pest is found can be sourced through the declared plant requirements link.
Search > detect > report
Report: this pest using the MyWeedWatcher smartphone and tablet application or online reporting tool.
Control method
Control methods for this declared plant can be found through the calotropis control link.