Edge/ Common Milkweed

COMMON NAME: Common Milkweed

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Silkweed

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Asclepias syriaca

FAMILY: Ascelepiadaceae

COMMUNITY: Edge

STATUS: Native

LIFESPAN: Perennial

HEIGHT: 2 to 4 foot

FLOWERING TIME: Mid-June to late July

FRUITING TIME: July to September

DISTRIBUTION: Southern Canada to Tennessee ~ West to Nebraska and Oklahoma ~ In NJ found throughout northern NJ and the Inner Coastal Plain south to Cumberland County

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Colonial by roots ~ Stems stout, 3 to 6 feet, mostly hairy, milky sap ~ Leaves elliptic to oval or oblong, opposite, soft-hairy beneath ~ Flowers are white or  pink and fragrant ~ Seed pod (fruit) are about 3 inches long and when mature, they split along one seam revealing neatly packed seeds covered with hairs which become airborne

GENERAL INFORMATION: The tender shoots can be cooked like asparagus and a sugar can be prepared from the flowers.  The milky juice from the raw stem is bitter and mildly toxic--boiling dispels these properties. Milkweeds are generally considered toxic to cattle. Native Americans used the root infusion (medicine prepared by steeping in a liquid without boiling) as a diuretic and laxative.  It was taken for dropsy and used for treatment of asthma, rheumatism and venereal disease.  The milk was used to treat warts and ringworm. Fiber, obtained from the stalks, can be used to weave rope, and fishing line. In World War II, the latex of Common Milkweed was experimented with for rubber production.  The silky filaments attached to the seeds were used by the Department of Agriculture as a replacement for kapok in life jackets and life preservers because the down will float while supporting 30 times its own weight.  It was also used as upholstery padding, insulation material, and for stuffing pillows. 

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails.  This information is presented for educational purposes.