According to Kew Gardens, it is from Central America and probably Cuba and Florida.   After going through the photos and labels for specimens in the S , Tolerance, Unknown Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. , Considertions, Noted for being weedy. , Habitat, Disturbed. Old orange groves, pasture, roadsides. May occur naturally along the west FL coast including shell mounds and dunes . All records for in , Did You Know?, Showy flowers

Use as a groundcover in moist areas. Also useful in wetland restoration areas. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Aggressive, so plant where this will not be a problem or where nothing else will grow. , Habitat, Swamps, marshes. , Did You Know?, Interesting foliage

Wildflower garden. This is a small but pretty little plant. Grow it in a moist wildflower garden. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, It may be necessary to re-seed to keep this in the garden. Seed is not generally commercially available. This is the most toxic of the milkweeds and i , Habitat, Flatwoods , Did You Know?, Showy flowers Larval host for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Attracts various pollinators.

Use as a specimen tree.  May be large.  May produce aerial roots, but less frequently than F. aurea. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Many birds and other wildlife consume the fruit and find cover in this plant. , Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Tropical hammocks. , Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Interesting foliage Larval host for ruddy daggerwing (Marpesia petreus) butterflies, Edwards' wasp (Lymire edwardsii) and fig sphin

Further north, this can be a moderately large tree. Not typically grown but worth retaining if present as an understory tree. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Considertions, Has a shallow root system that may prevent plants from growing under it. , Wildlife, Fruits are eaten by a number of birds and small mammals. , Did You Know?, Larval host for hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) butterflies. Sole larval host plant for American snout

Use as a specimen plant or as an understory in a mixed hardwood forest setting. This tree blooms in early spring before the leaves come out. , Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray , Wildlife, Hummingbirds and cardinals are known to be interested in the nectar.  Squirrels may eat the fruits. , Habitat, Dry-moist sites. Upland hardwood forests on fertile mesic slopes and ravines, hammocks, floodplain forests, slope forests, seep slopes, floodplains wi , Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers Larval plant for several moth species. Primary pollinators are bees.