Apocynaceae / Asclepias speciosa / Showy Milkweed

While the plants themselves

are often overshadowed by their service to the Monarch Butterfly, these Milkweeds are quite noteworthy in their own right, hosting a plethora of edible and medicinal qualities while being some of the most ‘showy’ flowers out there.

Perennial herbs spreading through rhizomes, they hold opposite, typically ovate-shaped leaves which clasp the erect, non-branching stems.

Their flowers are nothing short of gorgeous. Positioned within an inflorescence of stalked umbels, the flowers have a unique form. 5 elliptic, cupped petals are folded back (reflexed) along the pedicel, hiding the 5 calyx lobes, which are also reflexed. Pointed forward is a crown composed of 5 “hoods”, each covering a “horn” curved in toward the center, where the sex organs are hidden in a complex structure (Thayer).

Fruits are a bumpy, bluish-green pod, containing many flat, oval seeds with silky hairs attached to help them take flight! During the late summer, these seeds are a favorite of ours to teach the young folks about dispersal techniques.

The entire plant produces a milky sap when cut or bruised which owes to it’s common name.

The entire plant is edible during the various stages of maturity, but all are recommended to be boiled before consumption. We've found most parts are excellent with our favorite being the insides of the immature seed pods, which, when harvested at the right time, give almost a cheesy-like flavor and texture to your dish.

While A. speciosa is an excellent food, there are several related and similar-looking plants to be on the lookout for. They share habitat with a couple different Dogbanes (Apocynum spp.) which are one of the more toxic plants of our area. Although quite different at maturity, some folks mistake the young plants for one another. Additionally, there are a couple of other Asclepias spp. which can be toxic when ingested. As always, do your due diligence when identifying plants out in the wild!