Crown flower (Calotropis gigantea): colours, meaning, where it grows and when it blooms

Crown flower is a large shrub up to 4 metres tall, bearing clusters of unscented, waxy white or lavender blooms with a central crown-like structure. Native across South and Southeast Asia, it grows wild and near temples, and its toxic latex has been used in traditional medicine, rope-making, and as an arrow poison.

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Flowers are waxy, white or lavender, and unscented
Milky latex contains toxic cardiac glycosides
Used in Hindu worship of Lord Shiva
Serves as host plant for monarch butterflies in Hawaii
Fibres from the plant make durable ropes and thread

What does Crown flower look like?

Crown flower grows as a large, erect shrub reaching about 4 metres. Its oval, light green leaves grow opposite each other on stems filled with thick white latex. The flowers appear in clusters, each with five pointed petals in white or pale lavender. At the centre rises a small crown-like ring holding the stamens. The blooms have no scent and feature a unique petal arrangement where edges just touch without overlapping.

Where does Crown flower come from?

This species occurs naturally in regions including Tibet, southern China, Myanmar, and even Angola in Africa. It has long been established across South and Southeast Asia, from India through Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia, often growing near human settlements and sacred sites. Though native to parts of Asia and Africa, it has also naturalised in places like Hawaii.

When and how Crown flower blooms

It flowers between November and April in many parts of its range. The plant thrives in warm climates and produces umbrella-like clusters of blooms on stalks that emerge between leaf bases. After flowering, it develops paired seed pods filled with hairy seeds that scatter by wind when dry. All parts exude milky latex when cut.

Follicle of a crown flower.. Photo: Sripathiharsha, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How Crown flower is used

In Hindu worship, its flowers are offered to Lord Shiva, especially on auspicious days. In Cambodia, they decorate funeral urns and homes during rites. In Thailand, they appear in floral arrangements. Hawaiian royalty once wore them in leis as symbols of rank. The plant also yields strong fibres for ropes and stuffing, and its extracts have been studied for medicinal and insect-repelling properties.

What Crown flower means

The crown flower holds deep religious meaning in Hinduism, linked to Lord Shiva through texts like the Shiva Purana and the Mahabharata. It features in rituals such as the Panch Pallava in Maratha culture. Despite its toxicity, it appears in Ayurveda and Siddha systems for various ailments. It is also one of the nine astrological trees in Indian tradition.

Traditions that use it

Phuang malai Flowers in Hindu worship Loy Krathong and floating flower offerings Graduation leis

Where to see Crown flower

🇹🇭 Bangkok · All yearPak Khlong Talat by nightBangkok's round-the-clock flower market near the river, at its fullest after dark.

🇹🇭 Bangkok · All yearThread a phuang malai garlandA short class in the Thai craft of threading jasmine and other flowers into offering garlands.

🇺🇸 Honolulu · All yearMake a lei in HonoluluLearn to string a Hawaiian flower lei, and see the lei stands of Chinatown.

Questions people ask about Crown flower

Where does crown flower come from?

It is native to parts of Asia including Tibet, southern China, and Myanmar, as well as Angola in Africa. It is widely found across India, Southeast Asia, and has naturalised in Hawaii.

Is crown flower poisonous?

Yes. Its milky sap contains cardiac glycosides like calotropin and uscharin. Contact can cause skin irritation or eye damage, and ingestion may lead to severe symptoms or death.

What is crown flower used for?

It is offered in Hindu worship, used in Cambodian funerals, and made into leis in Hawaii. Its fibres produce rope and stuffing, and traditional medicine uses its parts despite its toxicity.

When does it bloom?

In many regions of South and Southeast Asia, it flowers from November to April.

Does it have a scent?

No, the flowers are described as not scented.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Calotropis gigantea", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Plumeria: Renesis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Mandevilla: Shuvaev, CC BY 4.0, source

Pinwheel flower: SKsiddhartthan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Tulip: John O'Neill, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Peach: Jack Dykinga, USDA, Public domain, source

Pomegranate: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Oleander: Unknown author, CC BY 2.5, source

Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source

Lei: possibly Fernando Le Bleux, Public domain, source

Phuang malai: Deror Avi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Pak Khlong Talat Bangkok: Sry85, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Crown flower