Milkweed History and Uses 101

Did you know that Milkweed is one of the most useful and versatile plants in the world? Not only is it a vital plant-food for Monarchs, it is extremely useful for us as a source of food, medicine and fiber.

From it's historical uses in World War II to it's use as a nematicide, Milkweed's many uses may just surprise you!

Historical Uses

• ​ The young shoots, flower buds, immature fruits, and roots of butterfly milkweed were boiled and prepared as a food-source by various indigenous groups of eastern and mid-western America throughout history. 
  ​
• During World War II, milkweed quite literally saved hundreds if not thousands of lives. In 1943, a milkweed seed and floss-extracting plant was created in Michigan which provided the armed forces with over two million pounds of plant material used to stuff 1.2 million life-vests! (Berkman, 1949)

Medicinal Uses

• In 1892, Charles Millspaugh recorded the early medical history of butterfly milkweed, also known as pleurisy root. He stated that it is a proven remedy for certain forms of dry coryza, indigestion, colic, diarrhea, dry coughs, pleurisy, rheumatic pains, and some skin affections (1974, p. 540). 
  
  
• The milky white sap is sometimes applied topically to remove warts.
  Caution: Some people have allergic reaction to the milky sap  and avoid contact with your eyes by washing hands thoroughly after touching. 
  
  
• Famous ethnobotanist, Melvin Gilmore, wrote that the Omahas and Poncas ate the raw root of the butterfly milkweed for bronchial and pulmonary troubles and also as a treatment for wounds (1977). 
  ​
• The Lakota's name for green milkweed is "hu cinska" which describes the shape of the leaf. The pulverized roots of green milkweed were used to treat children with diarrhea (Rogers, 1980, p. 34). The Blackfeet also used the root of green milkweed to relieve sore throats (Hellson, 1974, p. 71).​

Culinary Uses

• Common milkweed has been used for food by the Omaha-Ponca, Winnebago and Pawnee tribes in all three stages of it's growth, from young sprouts to floral buds to young fruits (Gilmore, 1977, p. 57)
  
  
• Experienced foragers still enjoy eating young milkweed sprouts (after being boiled) but only when identified properly. Refer to my Milkweed Identification blog if you aren't sure or pick up a field guide to help you.  If you are confident in your identification skills are are looking for ways to prepare milkweed refer to Kay Young's book, Wild Seasons, for more ideas. 
  ​
  Note: All species of the Milkweed (Asclepias) family are known to contain cardiac glycosides that are poisonous to animals and humans. Monarchs have used these as their chemical defense against predators. Viceroy butterflies are a classic example of Batesian mimicry and also benefit from milkweed. Although they are not poisonous and do not eat Milkweed, predators confuse them for Monarchs and will avoid them. 

Current Uses

• Milkweed is currently being commercially used for stuffing pillows and comforters which proves more cost-effective and sustainable then down or synthetic fibers (Nehring, 2014).
  
  
• The fluff of the milkweed pods prove to be a wonderful fire starter!​
  
  
• In current research by the USDA, a chemical extracted from the seed is being tested as a pesticide for nematodes (O'kuru, 1999).
  
  

• Tewa-speaking people of the Rio Grande still make string and rope from these fibers
  
  
• Over the years, researchers have investigated growing milkweed for paper-making, textiles, and lubricants, and as a substitute for fossil fuels and rubber (Lohmiller).
  
  We hope that Milkweed continues be grown and protected in order to provide sustenance, medicine, and a habitat for many creatures of the world, including humans!
  

References

Boris Berkman. “Milkweed: A War Strategic Material and a Potential Industrial Crop for Sub-Marginal Lands in the United States.” Economic Botany, vol. 3, no. 3, 1949, pp. 223–239. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4251941.

Harry-O'kuru, R.E., Mojtahedi H., Vaughn S.F, Dowd, P.F.,...Abbott, T.P. "Milkweed seedmeal: a control for Meloidogyne chitwoodi on potatoes." Industrial Crops and Products 9, 1999, pp. 145-150.  USDA.  'https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/25487/PDF​'

Kindscher, K. 1992. Medicinal wild plants of the prairie. An ethnobotanical guide. University Press of Kansas. pp. 54-58.

Lohmiller, G., Lohmiller, B. "Common Milkweed Uses and Natural Remedies." The Old Farmer's Almanac. 'https://www.almanac.com/content/common-milkweed-uses-and-natural-remedies'
​
Gilmore, M.R. 1977. Uses of plants by the Indians of the Missouri River region. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 55-57.

Nehring, J. "The potential of milkweed floss as a natural fiber in the textile industry." Journal of Undergraduate Research. 2014. University of Kansas.                                                                                   'https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/15034/Nehring_jur14.pdf;sequence=1​'

Shakyawar, D. B., Dagur, R. S., & Gupta, N. P. (1999). Studies on milkweed fibres. Chicago