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
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