Milkweed Pods, Parachutes, Silk & Fluff

 

Milkweed is another one of those plants many a country kid recognized and came up with ways to use both the fluffy seeds and the dried pods for imaginative playtime. The pods became little boats, the fluff acted as pretend snow, the seeds became aviator pilots jumping with their parachutes, etc.

The milkweed family is Asclepiadaceae, named in honor of Asklepios, the Greek god of medicine. There are 347 genera and 2850 species but pictured above is Asclepias syriaca or Common Milkweed, sometimes called Silkweed. Common milkweed is the most well-known milkweed species native to North America. It can be found along ditches, open meadows, roadsides, places with well-drained soil and plenty of sun. 

A perennial with a deep taproot, to propagate by digging it up may or may not be successful. If this method is used it is best done when the shoots are small. For cuttings, snip a piece that includes three leaf nodes. Nodes are the spots where the leaf attaches to the stem. They are then stuck into good quality soil and kept moist but not wet or they will rot. Don't disturb them to see if roots are forming or they may die off.

In its natural setting, common milkweed spreads by underground runners or roots called rhizomes. Those runners don't travel that far, as the plants tend to grow in clumps, however as a whole milkweed can be labeled an aggressive spreader but not invasive.

In nature the plants also propagate by seed. Once done flowering, the seed pods develop into the perfect system for getting those seeds spread far and wide. Each seed is attached to what is called milkweed floss and that floss acts like a little parachute to be carried in the wind. The floss is called a natural windicator. This is a little tip for hunters to learn. By observing the direction the floss travels, the air flows show how the person's scent is being carried. 

The soft as silk milkweed floss used to be used for candles. The floss was carded and spun into thread which made excellent wickyarn. Candles burned with a clearer light and less smoke than those made with cotton wicks. It is said that the mountaineers of Virginia even made cloth from the outer covering of the stalks back during the 1700's. 

Milkweed floss is known for its natural waterproofing, insulating and hypoallergenic properties.

When the Europeans first settled in America, they would collect this "wild cotton" to use to stuff pillows and mattresses. It took about eight pounds for a mattress so its use is a thing of the past but another interesting fun fact is that during WWII when materials were in short supply, there was a demand for it to be used to fill life jackets. Many a civilian and volunteer organization foraged to find milkweed plants and farms grew large fields to harvest and send the fluff to collection stations. Milkweed floss is five times more buoyant as cork and a few pounds of the floss could hold up a grown man in the sea. It is warmer than wool and much lighter. Flying suits lined with this floss are warm and lightweight so if an aviator or sailor falls into the ocean, he could stay afloat. 

To plant the seeds yourself, remember that they need to be exposed to winter cold before they can germinate. The best time to plant is late October or November when it is cold enough that the seeds won't sprout but not so cold that the ground is frozen.

Scatter them on the ground and lightly scratch about 1/4" of soil to cover so they don't just blow away. 

The monarch butterflies thank you

Sing a Song of Goldenrod, The Truest Bit of Gold

"Afire'

Willow trees are turning,

Maple leaves are burning,

Goldenrod's afire!

Fairy torches glimmer,

Woods are in a shimmer

And the flames leap higher!

November rain is all in vain

Down, down, it dashes.

O goldenrod! Goldenrod!

You've burned the woods to ashes.

Angelina W. Wray

Throughout the world, there are 125 species of goldenrod and 90 of these are found throughout North America. The top-to-bottom flowering of the spike-shaped goldenrods may be connected with their competition for attracting the attention of insects. As the autumn season progresses and flowers become sparse, the goldenrod is one of the few flowers left. 

The fascinating praying mantis can often be found amidst this perennial plant. In fact, it is said that the best place to find mantis egg cases is on the dead stalks of goldenrod. This is due to the fact that goldenrod is such a magnet for many flying insects drawn by the color, scent and nectar in these small aster-like flowers. 

Interesting is the fact that white-tailed deer have no desire for the taste of goldenrod, which is great since so many native plants are at risk for decimation from the overpopulation of deer. 

The generic name, Solidage, means "to make whole". In the world of plant medicine goldenrod certainly has its place. The Chippewas called it gizisomukiki which means "sun medicine".

It has been used for stomach issues, kidney health, pass stones, help with nausea, heal wounds and help with bronchitis and diphtheria. The leaves were chewed to help soothe a sore throat. 

The roots were made into a poultice for toothaches.

 The leaves were used for teas and wine and the more aromatic species were sought after at a high price back in the 19th century. 

People used to use the flowers to make yellow dyes for cloth. 

For people who see this wildflower as just another weed should know that it is actually the state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska. Perhaps the fact that it is so common and grows along the roadside, in meadows and fields is why people don't appreciate it. Or it could be because it is often blamed for contributing to the misery of hay fever, when in reality it is ragweed that is the culprit. They both just happen to be in bloom at the same time.

In the 19th century, goldenrod was a symbol of the United States. It was said to symbolize a country where the people rule, for many tiny flowerets are needed to make a prefect head, just as in our country there are many races to form this wonderful nation.

"The Last Walk in Autumn"

Along the rivers summer walk,

The withered tufts of asters nod,

And trembles on its arid stalk

The hoar plume of the golden-rod

John Greenleaf Whittier 

Here is a bit of information on ragweed

Here is more information on the uses for goldenrod

And last, for those who enjoy plant stories:

All Summer long, while other plants are flowering, goldenrod is steadily raising its single stalk towards the sky. Finally, around the middle of August the golden-yellow spires appear. Both a staff and a spire are included in the picture. It is like the tarot card showing a man walking along a road with a heavy burden upon his back, a walking staff in his hand. His head is bent down, so that he does not see a church spire rising in the distance which shows that is destination is within reach. The massage of goldenrod is to endure in order to reach the goal.

by Matthew Wood 

"The Book of Herbal Wisdom"

White Snakeroot and Boneset, how to tell the difference and why it is so important

White Snakeroot is a prime example of why it is so important to properly identify plants in the wild before foraging or deciding to add them to your landscape.

Though Snakeroot is a very pretty native plant, it has a sad history behind it.

       White Snakeroot (Ageratina rugosum) was at one time known as Eupatorium urticaefolium and similar to Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). Below are two videos with very good information on how to tell the difference between these two plants. Key differences are in the leaf shape and form. Snakeroot has its petioles in a lateral, horizontal formation with flatter, broader, pointed leaves and slightly hairy stems. Boneset also has lateral leaf formation but the leaves are perforated, which means it looks like the stem goes right through the leaf. The leaves are longer, narrower and turn slightly up at the edges and the stems are hairier than on snakeroot.

Boneset is considered a medicinal plant, whereas snakeroot is a toxic plant. The word Eupatorium means "of a noble father", referring to Mithridates Eupator, a blood-thirst ruler 120 to 63 B.C. Also called Mithridates the Great, he was an overly ambitious ruler of the Asia Minor kingdom of Pontus. He discovered that a species of Eupatorium was an antidote to poison and some say he was the world's first immunologist. 

Snakeroot contains a toxic alcohol called tremetol, which causes ketosis and is transmitted through the milk of cows foraging on the plant. Milk sickness, morbeo lacteo, or the "trembles". was a dreaded disease that attacked 19th-century farm families and their livestock in the South and Midwest. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, intense thirst, coma and then death. 

Nancy Hanks Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's mother, died of milk sickness in 1818. 

The cause of milk sickness was identified by an Illinois doctor, Anna Pierce, in the 1830's. She learned the identity of the poisonous plant from a Shawnee woman who was a fugitive from the forced relocations of Native Americans. The snakeroot roots were used by the Indians for snake bites but very toxic if consumed. However, the cause of milk sickness wasn't confirmed until 1917.

Dairy cows may still eat white snakeroot on occasion, but since their milk gets mixed with other milk in such huge quantities, the poison has no effect. Though poisonous, being it is a native perennial in zones 3-8, some nurseries offer snakeroot as a plant that does well in partial shade. 

This plant has its benefits in that being it blooms in late September into October, it is a food source for insects when many other plants have already gone to seed. 

A pretty plant, white snakeweed can be left alone wherever it turns up, as long as it isn't consumed. Deer seem to know this plant is toxic so if deer resistant plants are sought after, white snakeroot is an option. Just be careful with pets if they are young and prone to chew on everything.