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 Butterfly Milkweed(Asclepias tuberosa) Butterfly milkweed is unique to other members of the milkweed genus in not having milky sap. Butterfly Milkweed is noted for medicinal properties. It was widely used by Native Americans for treating throat and lung ailments and for cuts and sores. It was listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1905 and in the National Formulary form 1916 to 1936. Extracts from the roots of Butterfly Milkweed have been shown to be active against tuberculosis cultures. |
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The identified active compounds in milkweeds include a potent class of chemicals known as cardiac glycosides. It is these chemicals that are utilized by Monarch butterfly caterpillars for their own protection. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of milkweeds, and as the caterpillars emerge from the eggs they begin to feed on the plant. As they eat the milkweed leaves they store the cardiac glycosides in their exoskeleton, making themselves toxic to predators such as birds. Birds in search of a meal quickly learn that the monarch is a unpalatable food that can make them vomit. In turn, the color pattern of another butterfly, the viceroy, mimics that of the monarch, in an attempt to fool any bird into thinking they are a monarch butterfly as well. This relationship between the milkweed, monarch, and viceroy is one of thousands of co-evolutionary adaptations for survival between plant and insects worldwide (Wickler 1968). Practically any type of nectar-loving insect is attracted to the flowers of butterfly milkweed. The flower heads of milkweeds are especially appealing to butterflies because they have so many nectaries (5 per flower and many flowers per inflorescence). This gives a high probability of finding food even if another butterfly was just there before it. Butterfly milkweed flowers vary in color from yellow to a vivid deep orange. Many milkweeds spread by lateral roots (rhizomes). Butterfly Milkweed grows in a single clump from a woody rootstock. Since it is not invasive it is a good candidate for the home garden, compared to other milkweeds. Watch for Butterfly Milkweed in roadside habitat and prairies during early summer. Written by: Jeff Sparks Last Update: |
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