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It’s everyday name is milkweed, its Latin name Asclepias syriaca, named in honor of the Greek god of healing Aesculapius. And although its considered a roadside weed, the milkweed is much more than a pretty flower that Monarch and other butterflies relish. Because the leaves are poisonous to most animals, and Monarch caterpillars chomp on the leaves exclusively, the butterflies are themselves toxic to predators.
Milkweed grows in thickets, roadsides, meadows, fields, and even in vacant urban lots. It’s range is from New Brunswick to Saskatchewan; New England to Georgia and Tennessee, and west to Kansas.
Milkweed is a native of North America, and Native Americans discovered its medicinal properties many moons ago. It is a perennial plant that grows 3 to 6 feet tall, and usually blooms in July and August.
The stem is tough and fibrous, and has in the past been used for cordage, and the fluff from the pod sometimes filled poor folks’ pillows. Both the young shoots, flowers and pods are eatable when boiled, and considered a delicacy by many.
The name of the plant, of course, refers to its milky white sap. This sap contains caoutchouc, the raw material of rubber. The Indians used the sap for warts, ringworm, poison ivy, and various other skin problems, and taught the English settlers about it.
Back in the 1800’s, American doctors used both the sap and the milkweed root in treating respiratory illnesses. It was also prescribed as a remedy for asthma, as well as a sedative.
But the roots are poisonous and should never be used by the average person.
The lovely tassely tufts of lavender and white flowers are full of nectar, and are fertilized by bees and ants. These florets also happen to be an insect trap. One misstep and the ant or bee is caught by a leg and doomed to starve. Yet for centuries ants and bees have been fertilizing milkweed, making our world a sweeter place.
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