A new addition to the Changing Gardens Through Time 

We have a new self-propagated addition to the Changing Gardens: Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).  A lot of people might think that it’s a weed since they often see it growing in ditches and other disturbed environments, but we’re glad it decided to move in since it is a plant that continues to be important to Native communities for all sorts of uses.

I picked these tender young leaves this morning and will have them for dinner tonight!  I grew up eating these in my community and we call this plant leninci in the Miami language. A lot of the older Miami people I knew growing up really loved to eat not only the tender shoots, but also the early flower pods. You must prepare these carefully, since they contain poisons known as cardiac glycosides. Please do not eat these without the proper knowledge of preparation. You can use other parts of the plant too for making cordage.

Humans aren’t the only ones who like its leaves, Monarch Butterflies do too. Milkweeds are the only plants that Monarch Butterflies will lay their eggs on and the poisonous chemicals in the plant help the Monarchs to avoid predators. So Milkweed is not really a weed, but an important food and material source for humans and critically important habitat for the Monarch Butterfly.