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An Ethonobotanical Report
Asclepias syriaca
American Indian Names
Some
native names for milkweed are: Wah'tha (Omaha/Ponca) Mahintsh
(Winnebago) Kari piku (Pawnee). There were no translations that could
be located.
The
common name came from the white milky like sap found inside the plant.
Some other names for milkweed include: wild asparagus, milkplant,
silkweed, virginia silk and also wild cotton.
Description
This
plant has perennial herbs with erect stems, 6-20 dm tall, hairy,
contains milky white juice. The flower buds look like loose heads of
broccoli,1 1/2 to 3 inches across. The long stemmed, purple-pink,
attractive flowers are set in umbrella like globular clusters, often
drooping. Each individual flower is 1/2 inches tall and less than 1/4
inches across, divided into five radially symmetrical parts. The
Ovate-to-Oblong leaves are opposite or whorled, not toothed at the
margins, and tapered at both ends. There are obvious central veins or
ribs. A milky latex oozes out when the leaves are cut or broken. The
leaves measure from two to five inches long, and its surface is softly
tomentose. Attached to each flat, brown seed are long, silky fibers.
These fibers enable the seeds to become airborne and scatter to great
distances. The roots of milkweed are thick and penetrate rather deep. |
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Location and Habitat
Milkweed
is found in many parts of North America. The plant resides in dry
fields, hillsides, roadsides, woods, yards, pastures, marshes, deserts,
along chaparral trails, and waste places. In other words you can find
this plant almost in any environment. On the rez it is found by the powwow grounds.
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Uses
Some
medicinal uses were: The white sap was reportedly used by Native
Americans to cure warts by surface of application for several
consecutive days. Some Tribes made tea from the leaf to control
coughing. Others chewed the roots of A. tuberosa for respiratory
problems. The white sap was also used for treating horses' saddle
sores. Some other uses include: The latex of this plant was
experimented with for rubber production during World War II. The silky
down like filaments attached to the seeds were used by the Department
of Agriculture as a kapok replacement in life jackets and belts and
life preservers because the down will still float while supporting 30
times its own weight. It is also used as upholstery padding, insulation
material, and for stuffing pillows. The Omaha ate the common milkweed
during the three stages of its growth. They also made soup out of it.
When the Omaha and Pawnee first saw cabbage and noted that it was
boiled as they boiled milkweed, they called this cabbage "whiteman's
milkweed". The Osage also compared cabbage to milkweed and harvested
the young milkweed sprouts and floral buds. The Sioux Indians of the
Upper Platte eat the young pods of this plant, boiling them with the
meat of buffalo. The Crow Indians boiled the flowers of showy milkweed
for food and ate the seeds raw. The Cheyenne also ate the flower buds
of showy milkweed, which they boiled in water, often with meat, grease,
gravy, or soup. Some modern preparations include: To remove the
bitterness from all parts of the milkweed plant, cover with boiling
water and bring back to a boil. Discard water and repeat 2-3 times with
boiling water. Do not use cold water, use hot water during the process.
Also you can treat the shoots of the plant like asparagus. After the
treatment boil the leaves, bud clusters, and pods until good and
tender. Usually 10-15 minutes. You can serve this with butter and
seasonings or with sauce.
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By Pilar Aldrich
This Page was last update: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 at 10:21:27 AM
This page was originally posted: 11/9/06; 10:13:42 AM.
Copyright 2008 Plants of the Omaha Indian Reservation
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