Milkweed

The common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is found in most of the fields remaining in the Farmington area, and is easily recognized. The three to five foot stems are thick, with large, opposite leaves. The thick flower clusters of pink or purplish flowers are often droopy, and in time produce the large puffy seed pods that are pointed at their tips. The stems, leaves and pods all produce a milky white sap when broken.

Many insects rely on the sap of this plant, including the caterpillar that metamorphosises into the beautiful monarch butterfly. In fact, it is not unusual to find the chrysalis of the monarch butterfly attached to these plants.

That milky sap, which pervades the milkweed plant, has a highly bitter component, which luckily can be removed entirely through boiling. The young shoots of milkweed may be eaten like asparagus. The young leaves (upper leaves, gathered before the plant flowers) can also be eaten after boiling. The best part of the plant for culinary purposes, however, is the unopened buds of the flower clusters. Pluck these while they are still tightly massed. They are dull green and perhaps a bit wooly looking. Plunge them into boiling water and they instantly turn a bright green. Just two or three minutes of boiling will render them tender and flavourful. The seed pods of the milkweed are also quite edible, if you catch them early enough, while they are still hard. They require a bit more boiling than most other parts of the plant.

Finally, if all these features are not enough to attract you to this useful and attractive plant, the Catawba Indians are said to have used them to cure warts. Just dab a bit of the milky white sap on the wart, and let it dry. After repeating this process for a few days, the wart will fade away.