Butterfly Milkweed(Asclepias tuberosa)
Other Names:
Pleurisy root, orange milkweed, chigger weed
Range:
Family:
Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed family
Growth Type:
Herbaceous Perennial plant
Height:
The plant can grow up to 3 feet tall.
Leaves:
Lance shaped (lanceolate) leaves grow alternately along the stems. These leaves are smooth, shiny green on top and velvety underneath. They can grow up to 5 inches long, and 1-1/4" wide.
Stem/Trunk:
Multiple hairy (pubescent) stems grow in a cluster from the rootstock. The stems can be up to 3 ft tall.
Root:
Woody rootstock
Flower Season:
Summer into autumn
Flower Appearance:
The flowers are borne in showy rounded to flat groups near the end of the branches. The flowers are typically orange to red in color, but in some cases are yellow. The flower looks like it has two separate parts. There are 5 lower petals that tend to bend downward, and there is a center crown consiting of 5 erect hoods.
Seed/Fruit:
Hairy, spindle shaped, pods 3 - 6 inches long. At their tips, the numerous seeds have long white tufts of hairs.
Miscellaneous characteristics:
N/A
Habitat:
Like other milkweeds, Asclepias tuberosa grows in sandy, loamy, or rocky limestone soils of prairies, open woodlands, roadsides, and disturbed areas.
Parts Used:
Wild food: Entire young plant
Medicine: Rootstock
Culinary Uses:
The young shoots, stems, flower buds, immature fruits, and roots of butterfly milkweed can be boiled and eaten as a cooked vegetable.
The following text is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or injury. Always consult with a physician or other qualified medical care provider concerning the diagnosis and treatment of any illness or injury.
Medicinal Uses:
Pleurisy root as it is often called is an affective treatment for bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonitis, asthma. It is useful to treat conditions characterized by hot, dry mucosa and serous membranes; dry skin and inability to sweat, deficient sebaceous secretions.
Cautions According To WebMD
Possible Side Effects:
A. tuberosa may also cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and skin rash.
Possible Interactions:
A. tuberosa may interact with digoxin, estrogen pills, and diuretics.
Medicinal Actions:
Antispasmodic,
Carminative,
Cathartic,
Diaphoretic,
Diuretic,
Expectorant,
Tonic - Lung,
Vasodilator
Herbal Preparations For Asclepias tuberosa
00 Capsules
Part Used: Rootstock
Plant State: Dried
Capsules made from dried powdered root are used in the treatment of Bronchitis, pleurisy and pneumonitis...even asthma, whenever characterized by hot, dry mucosa and serous membranes; dry skin and inability to sweat, deficient sebaceous secretions..
Dosage: 1-3 capsules three times daily.
Cold Infusion
Part Used: Rootstock
Plant State: Fresh or dried
Place 2 ounces of the fresh, or one ounce of dried, chopped rootstock into a quart mason jar, and fill the jar with clear, cold, water. Cover the jar, place it in a sunny location, and let it sit for 24 hours. If refrigerated, the infusion will last a couple of days.
Dosage: 2-4 oz up to 3 times daily
Tincture
Part Used: Rootstock
Plant State: Fresh
Alcohol Percentage: 50%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:2
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Fill the jar to the neck with chopped fresh rootstock, then pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 20 drops (1 ml, or 1/4 tsp) up to 4 times daily
Tincture
Part Used: Part
Plant State: Dried
Alcohol Percentage: 50%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:5
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Place 150 grams of dried rootstock into a quart mason jar. Now pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 20 drops (1 ml, or 1/4 tsp) up to 4 times daily
