Scientific Name
Asclepias syriaca
Common Name
Common milkweed

TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.

Characteristics

Family
Asclepiadaceae
Plant Description
Erect, perennial herbs with milky juice; leaves simple, opposite, broad; flowers 5-parted, in rounded clusters, greenish white or rose; fruit dry and inflated, erect, rough-surfaced, and with many hair-tufted seeds.
Origin
USA, NC
Distribution
Mountains and Piedmont; northern Coastal Plain.
Where Found
Weedy in disturbed areas, roadsides, open fields and meadows, native or naturalized; landscape in flower gardens as herbaceous perennials.
Mode
Ingestion.
Poisonous Part
Milky sap from leaves, stems.
Symptoms
Vomiting, stupor, weakness, spasms by ingesting other species; need careful identification.
Edibility
EDIBLE PARTS: Leaves, new shoots, flower buds and firm seed pods HARVEST TIME: Only collect plants from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. Gather leaves during the spring when they are first opened. Gather seed pods in the summer. SAFE HANDLING PROCEDURES: Wash edible parts thoroughly with warm water. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. Parboil for three minutes, then discard bitter water and replace with clean boiling water. (Cold water tends to fix bitterness.) Repeat this process three times, then cook the leaves for 15 minutes before seasoning them. A pinch of soda can be added during cooking to break down the fiber and improve flavor.The young shoots under six inches long, found during the spring are used as a vegetable. Remove the fuzz on the shoot by rubbing it off. Preparation is the same as for the leaves. Collect flower buds and flowers during the summer. Dip buds in boiling water for one minute, batter and deep fry. When cooked like broccoli, buds are similar to okra. The flower clusters may also be battered and fried. After cooking, buds, flowers and leaves can be frozen. Use like okra in soups. A bit of baking soda in the water will help break down the tough fibers in the seed pod. Parboiled for several minutes, the young pods may be slit, rolled in a cornmeal/flour mixture and fried or frozen for future use. SOURCE: Larson, Ken. 1995. God's Free Harvest, Rhema Publishing, Inc., Suwanee, GA. 231 pp.
Toxic Principle
Resinoid, cardiac glycoside in other species.
Severity
TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.

"Poisonous Plants of North Carolina," Dr. Alice B. Russell, Department of Horticultural Science; Dr. James W. Hardin, Botany; Dr. Larry Grand, Plant Pathology; and Dr. Angela Fraser, Family and Consumer Sciences; North Carolina State University. All Pictures Copyright @1997Alice B. Russell, James W. Hardin, Larry Grand. Computer programming, Miguel A. Buendia; graphics, Brad Capel.

Disclaimer: The list of poisonous plants on this web site does not necessarily include every poisonous plant that is known, or that might be found in an urban landscape or home. North Carolina State University does not advise eating any of the plants included in this web site. The information concerning edibility is taken from the literature, and the degree of reliability is unknown. We discourage the use of any of these plants for self medication. In cases of accidental exposure or ingestion, contact the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

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