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Crown Flower (Giant Milkweed / Madar)
Calotropis gigantea
ଅରଖ (Arakha)मदार (Madar) / आक (Aak)Arka
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Origin
- Tropical Asia
- Plant Type
- Shrub
- Habitat
- Outdoor
About the Plant
Large laticiferous shrub with pale-grey corky bark; opposite thick fleshy obovate sub-sessile glaucous leaves, and umbellate cymes of pale lilac-purple crown flowers.
Traditional Uses
Skin diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, abdominal tumors, helminthiasis, and asthma
Parts Used
Root bark, leaves, milky latex, flowers
Ayurvedic Properties
- Rasa: Tikta, Katu
- Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Teekshna
- Virya: Ushna
- Vipaka: Katu
Health Benefits
- Treats stubborn skin eruptions, relieves chronic joint pain, and possesses wound cleansing properties
Precautions
Highly toxic latex and seeds; ingestion causes severe vomiting, cardiac arrhythmias, and blindness
Interesting Facts
Flowers are offered to Lord Shiva and Hanuman; milky sap yields proteases capable of clotting milk