Native to West Indies and naturalized in the Bahamas. This glorious variety of Milkweed has soft “hairy” leaves with plastic like flowers that appear in different shades of purple and lavender. Giant Milkweed is the host and nectar plant for the Monarch Butterfly. Whenever the leaves or stems are broken off, a white milky sap appears. The caterpillars are able to ingest this milky sap as a defense mechanism from their predators.