Common Milkweed

Common Milkweed grows fairly abundantly in the fields around here. It's referred to as "common" because when it's not in bloom it pretty much goes unnoticed. It is, however, far from common. Inside the plant is a sticky white sap that contains a mild poison; it's bitter taste warns away many of the animals & insects that try to eat it's leaves. Some insects, like the Monarch butterfly larvae, are immune to the toxin. By feeding almost exclusively on milkweed leaves, they accumulate enough of the poison in their bodies to make them distasteful to predators. When the first European settlers came, the indians taught them how to properly cook milkweed so that they could be safely eaten. (something that is NOT recommended today). The milky white sap was applied topically to remove warts, & the roots were chewed to cure dysentary. Infusions of the roots & leaves were taken to supress coughs & used to treat typhus fever & asthma. The stems' tough & stringy fibers were twisted into strong twine & rope, or woven into coarse fabric. Inside the pods, the fluffy white floss, which is attatched to the seeds, could be used to stuff pillows, mattresses & quilts, & it was carried as tinder to start fires. During WWII, the regular material used to stuff life vests was in short supply, so milkweed floss was used as a substitute--it's about 6 x's more bouyant than cork. Nature is amazing! :)