Folk Medicine: Employ the astringent properties as a tea for general tonic, and specifically for new mothers as a muscle toner. Maple syrup is used as a food and general tonic food supplement. Externally: Boiled leaves and tea are used as a poultice for boils.
MILKWEED Asclepias syriaca, L.( N. O.: Asclepiadaceae)
Common Names: Emetic Root, Snake Milk, Milk Ipecac. Features: Most of the 150 species of the Asclepia family are erect perennial herbs, from 2 – 4 ft. high. The root is yellowish, large and branching. The leaves are scattered, sessile, oblong, smooth in some plants, very hairy in others and from 1 – 2 in. in length. The attractive flowers are white and purplishwhite, with fruit of three-celled capsule. The genus is named in honour of the Greek God Asclepius( God of medicine).
Milkweed grows abundantly in Canada and the United States in dry fields and woods and flowers from June to September. When the leaves are pulled off, or the stem cut, a milky-white liquid rushes to the exposed surface. Asclepius is poisonous to cattle and sheep, but rarely to horses. The Indians used the inside fibres for rope and fishing nets; the milk was collected and rolled until firm enough to make chewing gum. The boiled roots taste like asparagus. The green plant was collected when very small and boiled in two waters to use as greens. We do not advise this for the general public as the amount and correct species is of importance in quantity. Medicinal Part: The root. Solvent: Water. Bodily Influence: Diaphoretic, Expectorant.( Many of the common names are duplicated, this Milkweed( Asclepius) is not the same as Bitter root( Apocynum androsaemifolium, Dogbane family), often called Milkweed. Uses: Medicinally the Indians used Asclepias for inflammatory rheumatism. Today it is still employed for rheumatism, dyspepsia and scrofulous conditions of the blood. A helpful remedy for female complaints, bowel and kidney trouble, asthma and stomach complaints. Used for dropsy as it increases the flow of urine. Effective remedy for gall-stones. J. Kloss(“ Back to Eden”) says:“ Take equal parts of milkweed and marshmallow( Althea), steep a teaspoonful in a cup of boiling water, take 3 cups daily, and one upon retiring. It will expel gallstones in a few days, where combined with this. Fomentations applied to the liver and the liver thoroughly massaged at the same time is very effective.”
MILKWEED FAMILY Asclepiadaceae, L.