Milkweed

Eastern Deciduous Forest, Tall Grass Prairie

Milkweed 

Asclepias syriaca L.

http://onthegrow.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Monarch-Caterpillar-copy.jpg

 

Habitat:  fields, by roads and fences, waste places. S. Canada to GA, AL; OK, KS, to ND.

Seasons: June-August

Active Chemical Ingredient:  Asclepiadin-C₃₁H₄₂O₁₀ 

•  _{occurs as an amorphous body, is soluble in ether, alcohol and hot water. It also contains several resins, and odorous fatty matter, and a trace of volatile oil.} 

http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/94475#section=2D-Structure

Parts Used:  root

Uses:

• constipation as an infusion of the root
• warts and heart disease as a juice/latex
• can be used for stitching

Resources:

Common Milkweed. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/common-milkweed

DeVries, L. (n.d.). Milkweed. Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/Milkweed.html

Milkweed Asclepias syriaca, A. cornuti. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail135.php