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Asclepias speciosa - Torr.

Common Name Showy Milkweed
Family Asclepiadaceae
USDA hardiness 3-9
Known Hazards Although no specific reports have been seen for this species, many, if not all, members of this genus contain toxic resinoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides[274]. They are usually avoided by grazing animals[274]. One report says that the plant is considered poisonous in large quantities by some native North American Indian tribes[257].
Habitats Prairies, in sandy and loamy, usually moist soils[60].
Range Western N. America - Minnesota to British Columbia, south to Kansas, Utah and California.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Asclepias speciosa Showy Milkweed


http://www.flickr.com/people/69923656@N00
Asclepias speciosa Showy Milkweed
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

 

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Summary

Asclepias speciosa or Showy Milkweed is a milky-sapped perennial plant with good edible uses. Flowers, leaves, the root, and seeds are all edible. It also has some medicinal and other uses.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Asclepias speciosa is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.6 m (2ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, insects, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves  Oil  Root  Seed  Seedpod  Shoots
Edible Uses: Gum  Oil  Sweetener

Flower buds - raw or cooked[61, 92]. They taste somewhat like peas[85]. They can be used to thicken soups[257]. Young shoots and leaves - cooked[46, 61, 62, 92, 95]. An asparagus substitute[85, 183]. One report says that they should not be eaten raw[85], whilst another says that the young spring shoots were eaten raw by some native American tribes[257]. Tips of older shoots are cooked like spinach[85, 183]. Young seed pods, 3 - 4 cm long - raw or cooked[85, 257]. Very appetizing[85]. The immature pods are peeled before being eaten[257]. Flower clusters can be boiled down to make a sugary syrup[85] or they can be eaten raw[161, 183]. Seed - raw[161, 257]. A chewing gum can be made from the latex contained in the stem and leaves[46, 61, 92, 183]. Root[183]. No further details are given, but another report says that the root can be poisonous in large quantities[257].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antirheumatic  Antiseptic  Ophthalmic  Skin  Stomachic  VD  Warts

The latex is used as a cure for warts[168, 257]. The latex needs to be applied at least once a day of a period of some weeks for it to be effective[K]. The latex has antiseptic properties and has been used to treat skin sores, cuts and ringworm[257]. A decoction of the plant tops can be strained and used to treat blindness and snow-blindness[257]. The root is either chewed when fresh, or dried, ground into a powder then boiled, and used in the treatment of stomach ache[257]. A decoction of the roots has been used in small doses to treat venereal diseases and also to treat coughs, especially from TB[257]. A poultice of the mashed roots has been applied to rheumatic joints[257]. Some caution should be employed when using the root since there is a report that it can be poisonous in large quantities[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye  Fibre  Gum  Latex  Oil  Paper  Pollution  Stuffing

A good quality tough fibre is obtained from the bark[92, 99]. It is used in twine, coarse cloth, paper etc[92, 99]. The fibre is 10 - 45mm long[189]. It is easily harvested in late autumn, after the plants have died down, by simply pulling it off the dead stems[168, 169]. When making paper, the stems can be retted by leaving them in the ground until they are dry in the winter or they can be harvested in late summer, the leaves removed and the stems steamed to remove the fibre[189]. The stems are then cooked for two hours with lye and pounded with mallets[189]. The paper colour varies from white to creamy green depending on how the paper is made[189]. If the stems are used in the summer the latex will often find its way onto the fibres and is hard to remove[189]. The seed floss is used to stuff pillows etc, or is mixed with other fibres to make cloth[168, 169]. It has also been used as a baby's nappy[257]. The seed floss is a Kapok substitute, used in Life Jackets or as a stuffing material[169]. It is very water repellent. The floss has also been used to mop up oil spills at sea. Rubber can be made from latex contained in the leaves and the stems[57, 92, 112]. The yield is up to 3%[112]. Pods contain an oil and a wax which are of potential importance. A green dye is obtained from the flowers and leaves combined[168]. Asclepias speciosa is a specific Monarch butterfly food and habitat plant. The dogbane-milkweed family Asclepias, Apocynum, Calotropis, and Trachomitum spp) has been used for fiber industrial crops for millennia with a number in cultivation as regional crops. All of these crops are dual-purpose fibres, offering bast fibres from the stem and seed finer or ‘floss’ in the fruit pods. Many have also been identified as potential hydrocarbon crops due to high latex content. Could be integrated into various agroforestry systems rather than as monocultures [1-1].

Special Uses

Carbon Farming

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Experimental Crop  Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon  Management: Hay

Prefers a well-drained light rich or peaty soil and a sunny position[1, 134, 200]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is closely related to A. purpurascens[200]. The roots can spread quite freely when the plant is in a suitable position[233]. Many members of this genus seem to be particularly prone to damage by slugs. The young growth in spring is especially vulnerable, but older growth is also attacked and even well-established plants have been destroyed in wet years[K]. Plants resent root disturbance and are best planted into their final positions whilst small[134]. The flower of many members of this genus can trap insects between its anther cells, the struggles of the insect in escaping ensure the pollination of the plant[207].

Carbon Farming

  • Experimental Crop  Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.
  • Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon  Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.
  • Management: Hay  Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn or in late winter[134, 169]. We have also had good results from sowing the seed in the greenhouse in early spring[K], though stored seed might need 2 - 3 weeks cold stratification[134]. Germination usually takes place in 1 - 3 months at 18°c[134]. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out when they are in active growth in late spring or early summer and give them some protection from slugs until they are growing away strongly. Division in spring. With great care since the plant resents root disturbance. Pot the divisions up and place them in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse until they are growing away strongly, then plant them out in the summer, giving them some protection from slugs until they are established.. Basal cuttings in late spring. Use shoots about 10cm long with as much of their white underground stem as possible. Pot them up individually and place them in a lightly shaded position in a greenhouse until they are rooting and growing actively. If the plants grow sufficiently, they can be put into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise keep them in the greenhouse until the following spring and when they are in active growth plant them out into their permanent positions. Give them some protection from slugs until they are established.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

This plant can be weedy or invasive. Some reports of weed problems in Western USA.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Asclepias asperulaAntelope Horns, Spider milkweed, Trailing MilkweedPerennial1.0 7-9 MLMSNDM213
Asclepias brachystephanaBract milkweedPerennial0.3 0-0  LSNDM002
Asclepias californicaCalifornia Milkweed, Greene's milkweedPerennial0.5 0-0  LSNDM212
Asclepias currasavicaBlood FlowerPerennial2.0 10-12 FLMHNM012
Asclepias decumbens Perennial0.9 -  LSNDM202
Asclepias eriocarpaWoollypod MilkweedPerennial0.9 7-10  LSNDM223
Asclepias erosaDesert MilkweedPerennial0.8 0-0  LNDM203
Asclepias galioidesBedstraw MilkweedPerennial0.4 -  LSNDM212
Asclepias halliiPurple Silkweed, Hall's milkweedPerennial1.0 3-7  LMSNDM313
Asclepias incarnataSwamp Milkweed, Swamp Butterfly Weed, Marsh MilkweedPerennial1.2 3-8 MLMSNDMWe323
Asclepias involucrataDwarf MilkweedPerennial0.0 -  LSNDM212
Asclepias lanceolataPurple Silkweed, Fewflower milkweedPerennial1.2 4-8  LMSNDM213
Asclepias latifoliaBroadleaf MilkweedPerennial0.8 -  LSNDM012
Asclepias mexicana Perennial0.8 5-9  LSNDM102
Asclepias ovalifoliaOval-leaf milkweedPerennial0.6 5-9  LMSNDM203
Asclepias pumilaLow Milkweed, Plains milkweedPerennial0.4 5-9  LMSNDM213
Asclepias purpurascensPurple MilkweedPerennial0.8 -  LMSNDM213
Asclepias quadrifoliaFourleaf MilkweedPerennial0.5 4-8  LMSNDM223
Asclepias rubraRed SilkweedPerennial1.2 4-8  LMSNDM313
Asclepias subulataRush MilkweedPerennial2.0 5-9  LSNDM013
Asclepias sullivantiiPrairie milkweedPerennial1.2 0-0  LSNDM003
Asclepias syriacaCommon Milkweed, Silkweed, MilkweedPerennial1.0 3-8 MLMSNDM323
Asclepias tuberosaPleurisy Root, Butterfly milkweed, Rolfs' milkweed, Indian PaintbrushPerennial0.8 3-9 MLMSNDM334
Asclepias viridifloraGreen Milkweed, Green comet milkweedPerennial1.0 0-0  LMSNDM323

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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