Or, silkweed or butterfly flower
- Ojibwe: ninwanzh
- Menominee: nänawi’tca
- Latin: Asclepias syriaca
Human uses
Food
The flower buds can be boiled and eaten, often alongside other foods. They can be made into a soup with broth, or cut and dried for future use. However, milkweed should only be eaten with proper knowledge and preparation.
Ecology
Serves as a host for monarch caterpillars, which rely on its leaves as their only food source. The nectar also draws in bees, moths, and other pollinators.
Medicine
Milkweed can be used as a laxative, and made into a salve to support treatments of swelling, rashes, coughs, and fevers.
Culture
The blooming of this plant is a visual marker of summer, when its flowers open and monarchs begin their breeding cycle.
*Note: Information on medicinal or consumption usage is for historical/traditional purposes, and is not recommended without proper knowledge or training.