HERBALPEDIA MILKWEED. Asclepias syriaca [ass-kle-pee-us seer-ee-ak-uh] Family: Asclepiadaceae

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1 HERBALPEDIA MILKWEED Photo edited to Stafan.letnaer available on Wikimedia Commons 2012 (Link available in picture index) Asclepias syriaca [ass-kle-pee-us seer-ee-ak-uh] Family: Asclepiadaceae Names: silkweed, common silkweed, cottonweed, silky swallow-wort, Virginia silk, Virginia swallow-wort, wild cotton, fluxroot, butterflyweed, cottonweed Description: Common milkweed is a thickstemmed, unbranched, upright herb that grows 3-5 feet tall. It contains a bitter, white, sticky latex or milk as a protection against insects. It has thick, velvety, toothless, elliptical, opposite leaves 4-9 inches long, 2 to 4 ½ inches wide, downy underneath, tapering to a rounded point at each end. Milkweed s stem is hairy under magnification an important difference from poisonous look-alikes. There s a white rhizome giving rise to true roots and small or large stands of plants. The flower buds look like loose heads of broccoli, 1 ½ to 3 inches across. The long-stemmed, purple-pink, attractive flowers are set in umbrellalike globular clusters, often drooping. Each individual flower is ½ inch tall and less than ¼ inch across, divided into five radially symmetrical parts. The sepals are about as long as the flower, and they re bent backwards. The fragrance attracts human and insects alike. The mature seedpods look like warty cucumbers, about 4 inches long, filled with silky seeds. Common milkweed s shoots closely resemble toxic dogbane with the same leaves and white, milky sap. Tiny hairs on milkweed s hairy stem provide the sole distinction. When mature they are easier to tell apart. Milkweeds depend on insects for pollinization and have developed a fairly sophisticated mechanism to insure that the job is done. When an insect lands on a petal, it must scramble for a footing because the surface of the petal is slippery. In the scramble, the feet get caught in the base of the flower. In its struggles to get out, the insect is thoroughly doused with pollen, which it obligingly takes along to the next blossom. The tongue of the monarch butterfly is especially adapted for reaching the nectar of Milkweed flowers thus the name milkweed butterfly. The larvae feed exclusively on Milkweed leaves. This diet makes them bitter and birds will not eat them. Cultivation/Harvest: Succeeds in any good soil. Prefers a well-drained light rich or peaty soil. Requires a moist peaty soil and a sunny position. Plants are hardy to about 7F. Many members of this genus seem to be particularly prone to damage by slugs. The young growth in spring is especially vulnerable, but older

2 growth is also attacked and even wellestablished plants have been destroyed in wet years. Plants resent root disturbance and are best planted into their final positions while small. The seed is best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn or in late winter. You can also sow the seed in the greenhouse in early spring, though stored seed might need 2-3 weeks cold stratification. Germination usually takes place in 1-3 months at 50 F. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out when they are in active growth in late spring or early summer and give them some protection from slugs until they are growing away strongly. Division in spring. With great care since the plant resents root disturbance. Pot the divisions up and place them in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse until they are growing away strongly, then plant them out in the summer, giving them some protection from slugs until they are established.. Basal cuttings in late spring. Use shoots about 10cm long with as much of their white underground stem as possible. Pot them up individually and place them in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse until they are rooting and growing actively. If the plants grow sufficiently, they can be put into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise keep them in the greenhouse until the following spring and when they are in active growth plant them out into their permanent positions. Give them some protection from slugs until they are established. May be attacked by cucumber mosaic virus. The roots are collected in the fall. The herb is collected in the late summer. The milk sap is collected in the late summer. The flowers and young seed pods are collected in July for eating. History: Named after Asklepios, the Greek god of healing, milkweed s long list of medicinal applications goes back centuries. Syriaca, the species name, is an old one and a bit mystifying, since this particular Milkweed did not come from Syria and is indigenous to the United States. The common name comes from the milky juice in the stems. Native Americans have longed used milkweed for a variety of ailments. The Oregon and other western tribes called the plant Nepesha. A root tea was taken for the cure of dropsy, dysentery and asthma. The Natchez utilized a root decoction for kidney trouble, including Bright s disease. It was used in the treatment of syphilis. The juice of milkweed was rubbed on warts to make them disappear. The root was used for a female remedy among the Ojibwe. A tea of the root was used by the Chippewa as a remedy to produce the flow of milk. The Algonquins pounded it, steeped it in water and made it into a tea reputed to be a sure cure for epileptic fits occurring in persons born during certain phases of the moon. Some tribes used the coagulated milk from the stems as a chewing gum. The roots have been used to treat rheumatism. They also used the fibers for cloth and thread. The silky hairs on the seeds have been used for stuffing and as a substitute for kapok in the life preserver industry. Forty or fifty plants yielded one pound of fiber, which was used to make paper and felt. The staple is too short to spin by itself, but was successfully combined with wool, cotton, flax and raw silk. During World War II researchers tried to make rubber from the sap but the expense and trouble of extracting it in relation to the amount of material gained made the process impractical. The milkweed seeds are on long silky parachutes that the wind carries for great distances. Goldfinches use these parachutes to line their nests. Medicinal Uses: A root decoction (either fresh or dried) strengthens the heart in a different way from digitalis, and without the foxglove derivative s toxicity. It also soothes the nerves and is listed as an emetic, anthelmintic (kills worms) and stomach tonic. It helps relieve edema probably by strengthening the heart. It s also a diaphoretic and expectorant. It s used for coughs, colds, arthritis aggravated by the cold, threatened inflammation of the lungs, asthma, bronchitis, female disorders, diarrhea

3 and gastric mucus. The milky sap is used topically, fresh or dried, to reduce warts. The root is emetic and cathartic in large doses. In average doses it is considered diuretic, expectorant and diaphoretic. It is said to produce temporary sterility if taken as a tea. HOMEOPATHIC: Used for afflictions of the nerves and the urinary tract and for pressing down uterine pains. Ritual: Herb of Jupiter. As the patron herbe of the Monarch butterfly, it is also partial to the little people, and growing it in the garden will encourage the presence of elves and fairies. The juice may be extracted and used to bless babies or a tall stalk can be laid in the arms of a child at a Wiccaning. Used in almost any manner, milkweed enhances one s creative energy and imagination, bringing out the child within. Some believe that the milkweed should be used at Autumn Eve in order to enter the realm of the faerie. Flower Essence: Milk weed is indicated for extreme states of soul dependency and regression, characterized by lack of an independent ego identity. Milkweed nourishes the soul at a very deep level, leading to the ability to rebirth that part of the core self which has regressed. Other Uses: A good quality fiber is obtained from the inner bark of the stems. It is long and quite strong, but brittle. It can be used in making twine, cloth, paper etc. The fiber is of poor quality in wet seasons. It is easily harvested in late autumn after the plant has died down by simply pulling the fibers off the dried stems. It is estimated that yields of 1,356 kilos per hectare could be obtained from wild plants. The seed floss is used to stuff pillows etc or is mixed with other fibers to make cloth. It is a Kapok substitute, used in Life Jackets or as a stuffing material. Very water repellent, it can yield up to 550 kilos per hectare. The floss absorbs oil whilst repelling water and so has also been used to mop up oil spills at sea. Candlewicks can be made from the seed floss. In cultivation, only 1-3% of the flowers produce mature pods. It is estimated that yields of 1,368 kilos per hectare could be obtained from wild plants. Rubber can be made from latex contained in the leaves and the stems. It is found mainly in the leaves and is destroyed by frost. Yields of 197 kilos per hectare can be expected from wild plants, it is estimated that by selection these yields could be increased to 897 kilos. Yields are higher on dry soils. The latex can also be used as a glue for fixing precious stones into necklaces, earrings etc. The latex contains % caoutchouc, 16-17% dry matter, and 1.23% ash. It also contains the digitalis-like mixture of a- and b- asclepiadin, the antitumor b-sitosterol, and a- and b-amyrin and its acetate, dextrose and wax. Pods contain an oil and a wax which are of potential importance. The seed contains up to 20% of an edible semi-drying oil. It is also used in making liquid soap. Dye Recipe: 1 pot milkweed, leaves, stems, flowers and/or pods 1 lb alum mordanted wool ¼ cup clear ammonia 4 gal water Boil the cut-up milkweed in water for about 1 hour. It may be necessary to add additional water so it won t boil dry. Cool and strain out the leaves, etc. Add the ammonia and enough water to make 4 gallons. Enter the premordanted wool and raise slowly to simmer and hold it there for ¾ hour. Remove the wool immediately from the dye bath and rinse in hot water. If you don t rinse the milkweed right away it may develop dark spots. Color: bright yellow. Culinary Uses: Almost all parts of the milkweed can be eaten, as long as the bitter principle is removed by blanching. The young shoots can be cooked and eaten like asparagus, and the unopened flowers and young pods also make good cooked vegetables. The young pods should be picked before they become elastic when pressed. They are rather mucilaginous, like okra, and can be added to soups or stews as a thickener. Parboil

4 the flowers one minute, then add them to pancake batter to make fritters or include them in soups, stews, casseroles or other vegetable dishes. They have a refreshing, perfumed flavor. The immature seedpods (firm and under 1 ½ inches long) are good boiled in two-4 changes of water. How to blanch milkweed: Plunge the milkweed (pods or stems or whatever part you are using) in boiling water for one minute. Discard the water and repeat the process three more times (four in all). It is essential to use boiling water because if milkweed is put in cold water and brought to the boil, the bitterness will remain in the plant, whereas several blanchings seem to remove it effectively. Recipes: Stuffed Milkweed Pods with Sauce milkweed pods, blanched 1 cup bread crumbs or bread stuffing mix ¼ cup onion and celery, finely diced and mixed ¼ cup diced puffballs or any other edible mushrooms 3 Tbsp butter or margarine 2 Tbsp water or chicken broth 1 egg, beaten 3 grinds pepper Sauté the onions, celery and mushrooms in 3 Tbsp butter for 5 minutes. Add them to the bread crumbs and mix in the remaining ingredients. Slice each milkweed pod along its seam and remove the cooked down, which you can add to the stuffing if you like. Fill each pod with 1-2 tsp of stuffing and place them in an oven-proof baking dish. SAUCE 2 Tbsp butter or margarine 2 Tbsp flour ¾ cup milk 3 grinds pepper 1 dash of freshly grated nutmeg 1/3 cup grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese Melt the butter, stir in the flour for 1 minutes and add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg, stirring over low heat until thickened. Add the grated cheese and when it melts, pour the sauce over the stuffed milkweed pods and bake them in a 350F oven for 15 minutes or until nicely browned. (The Wild Gourmet) Milkweed Flower Buds in Vinaigrette 3 cups milkweed flower buds 4-6 spring potatoes 1 green onion tarragon sprig DRESSING 2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar 1 tsp prepared hot mustard ¼ cup olive oil salt and pepper Cook milkweed flower buds in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and repeat (2 times). Cook potatoes separately, drain and cube. Mince onion and tarragon and add to milkweed and potatoes. Mix lemon juice and mustard. Beat in oil gradually. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve warm. (The Wild Food Gourmet) Milkweed Gratin 4 cups milkweed flower buds 4 Tbsp butter 3 Tbsp flour 1 ½ cups milk 1 cup grated cheese, Cheddar or Gruyere salt pepper Preheat oven to 375F. Blanch milkweed buds. Arrange in a buttered ovenproof dish. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then gradually whisk in milk. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce is thickened and smooth. Pour white sauce over milkweed. Sprinkle cheese over. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Broil a few seconds until top is crisp and golden. (The Wild Food Gourmet) Milkweed Provencale 2 Tbs olive oil 1 cup thinly sliced onion 2 cloves garlic, chopped 4cups blanched milkweed pods

5 2 ½ cups skinned and quartered tomatoes 1 Tbsp chopped parsley Blanch the pods carefully. Heat the oil in a fairly deep frying pan and fry the onion, garlic, and seasonings over medium heat until browned. Stir in the milkweed pods and tomatoes, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Bubble for 1 minute, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the pods are cooked and the juices have reduced and thickened. Excellent accompaniment to veal scallops or broiled liver (Wild Foods) Milkweed and Chicken Curry 6 Tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 12 cardamom seeds, slightly crushed 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp curry powder 1 tsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp turmeric 2 large onions, chopped 1 large red or green pepper, chopped 20 smallish milkweed pods, blanched 4 large chicken pieces 2 cups yogurt Blanch pods carefully. Heat olive oil in a large pan and fry the garlic, salt, pepper, and spices for 2 minutes over low heat. Add the onions and pepper, and sauté until tender. Turn the heat up to high and brown the chicken pieces on all sides (about 10 minutes). Then lower the temperature, add the blanched milkweed pods, cover the pan, and simmer for 30 minutes or more, until the meat and milkweed pods are very tender. Just before serving, spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of yogurt into the pan to thicken the sauce. Serve with rice and a bowl of plain yogurt. (Wild Foods) Milkweed Flower Salad 2 cups common milkweed flowers ½ cup roasted almonds, chopped 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1/8 tsp salt handful chopped scallions or wild onion leaves Bring a pot of water to a boil. Simmer the flowers for 1 minute. Drain, press out the excess water, chop the flowers and place them in a bowl with the other ingredients. Mix well. (Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places Marinated Milkweed Buds 1 pt of milkweed buds, washed and blanched. Let cool. 1 Tbsp capers 1 clove of wild garlic ½ cup olive oil 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper or to taste Layer prepared milkweed buds, capers, and garlic in a quart jar. Pour olive oil/vinegar mixture over all, add seasonings and allow to marinate overnight or for several days in the refrigerator. (The Wild Foods Cookbook) Mexican Milkweed Pods 3 cups blanched milkweed pods 2 wild garlic cloves, finely diced ½ cup chopped wild onions 1 dried hot pepper or a sprinkling of prepared crushed red pepper ¼ cup oil dash of cumin powder Fry vegetables in oil over medium heat until they just begin to brown about 10 minutes. Cover and steam until tender. Add seasonings and cumin. Serve with fluffy cooked rice, if you like. (The Wild Foods Cookbook) Milkweed Buds and Butter Sauce 2 cup blanched milkweed buds ¼ cup clarified butter 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice grating of fresh orange rind Melt butter and add orange juice and peel. Season to taste and pour over hot

6 milkweed buds. Garnish with a sprinkling of slivered almonds. (The Wild Foods Cookbook) Milkweed Shoots with Tart Sorrel Sauce 3 cups milkweed shoots, blanched SAUCE: 1 cup dairy sour cream 1 cup fresh sorrel greens, chopped fine ¼ cup milk or buttermilk ¼ cup chopped wild chives Heat sour cream and sorrel gently over low heat until sorrel leaves are tender; pour remaining ingredients over milkweed shoots and serve immediately. (The Wild Foods Cookbook) Milkweed Shoots in Wine 2 lb milkweed shoots (blanched) ¼ cup margarine ¼ cup white wine ¼ tsp pepper ¼ cup parmesan cheese ¼ cup green onion including tops, sliced Place shoots in buttered casserole. Melt margarine, stir in wine and pour over shoots. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cheese and onion. Bake 400F for 25 minutes (How to Prepare Common Wild Foods) Cream of Milkweed Soup 4 cups milk 2 Tbsp flour 2 Tbsp margarine 2 cups milkweed shoots (blanched) ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp tarragon ¼ tsp paprika Cut shoots into ½ pieces. Melt margarine, stir in flour. Slowly add milk. Cook 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add milkweed and seasoning; beat thoroughly. Serve at once. (How to Prepare Common Wild Foods) Milkweed and Rice Casserole ½ lb milkweed flower buds (blanched) 1 can cream of chicken soup ½ cup celery, diced ½ cup water chestnuts, diced ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated ½ cup onion, chopped 1 cup minute rice 1/8 tsp pepper Place buds in saucepan with ½ cup water. Simmer 5 minutes. Do not drain. Combine buds in liquid with remaining ingredients and pour into casserole. Bake 350F for 4 minutes. (How to Prepare Common Wild Foods) Milkweed Casserole 2 dozen young milkweed shoots 4 Tbsp butter 4 Tbsp flour 2 cups milk 1 cup Vermont Cheddar cheese, grated 1 tsp salt ½ tsp coarse black pepper 1 cup bread crumbs 4 Tbsp melted butter Gather young shoots of the milkweed plant when they re no more than 6 inches tall. Wash well. Fill 3 large pans with enough water to amply cover the milkweed shoots, and put all of the pans on the stove to heat at the same time. As soon as the water boils, drop the milkweed shoots in the first pan and bring the water to a boil again. At once, lift the milkweed shoots out of the first pan with tongs and transfer them to the boiling water in the second pan. Again bring the milkweed shoots to a lively boil. Transfer the milkweed to the last pan of boiling water and repeat the process for the third time. Drain the greens thoroughly. Boiling in three waters removes the bitter principle from the milkweed. In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the flour and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn golden. Gradually add the milk, stirring well to prevent lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add the grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir the sauce until the cheese is blended. Arrange

7 the milkweed shoots in the bottom of a 2-quart greased baking dish, and pour the hot sauce over the milkweed. Combine the bread crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle on top of the sauce. Bake in a moderate oven (350F) for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the bread crumbs are browned. (The Wild Flavor) HERBALPEDIA is brought to you by The Herb Growing & Marketing Network, PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA ; ; FAX: ; herbworld@aol.com URL: Editor: Maureen Rogers. Copyright 2014 All rights reserved. Material herein is derived from journals, textbooks, etc. THGMN cannot be held responsible for the validity of the information contained in any reference noted herein, for the misuse of information or any adverse effects by use of any stated material presented. References: A City Herbal, Maida Silverman, Alfred A Knopf, 1977; ISBN: Dyeing the Natural Way, Frances E. Mustard, 1977; ISBN: Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Great Lakes Region, Thomas A. Naegele, Wilderness Adventure Books, 1996; ISBN: Flower Essence Repertory, Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, Flower Essence Society, 1994; ISBN: How to Prepare Common Wild Foods, Darcy Williamson, 1986, Maverick Publications; ISBN: Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places, Steve Brill with Evelyn Dean, Hearst Books, 1994; ISBN: Plants for a Future Database The Wild Flavor, Marilyn Kluger, Henry Holt, 1984; ISBN: X Wild Food, Roger Phillips, Little Brown and Company, 1986; ISBN: The Wild Food Gourmet, Anne Gardon, Firefly, 1998; ISBN: The Wild Foods Cookbook, Cathy Johnson, Stephen Greene Press, 1989; ISBN: The Wild Gourmet: A Forager s Cookbook, Babette Brackett & Maryann Lash, Godine, 1975; ISBN: Wildflower Folklore, Laura C. Martin, Globe Pequot, 1988; ISBN: Resources: Companion Plants, 7247 No Coolville Ridge Rd., Athens, OH 45701; ; plants, seed