Milkweed

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Turkey, US, US(Pamunkey), US(Appalachia), US(Rappahannock)

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Alterative, Asthma, Bronchitis, Cancer

Science studied: BETA-AMYRIN, ASCLEPIADIN, CAOUTCHOUC, CINNAMIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Scientific name: Asclepias syriaca

Common names: Milkweed, Albero della seta, Asclepiade de Syrie, Asclépiade de Syrie, Asclépiade de Syrie, Asclépiade de Cornut, Herbe à la ouate, Herbe aux perruches, Broadleaf Milkweed, Butterfly Flower, Common Milkweed, Common milkweed, Echte Seidenpflanze, Gewöhnliche Seidenpflanze

POWO: 319076-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Turkey, US, Elsewhere, US(Pamunkey), US(Appalachia), US(Rappahannock).

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Alterative
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Cancer
• Cathartic
• Cicatrizant
• Cough
• Diaphoretic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Turkey
• US
• Elsewhere
• US(Pamunkey)
• US(Appalachia)
• US(Rappahannock)

Documented cultural uses

• Alterative
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Cancer
• Cathartic
• Cicatrizant
• Cough
• Diaphoretic
• Diuretic
• Dyspepsia
• Emetic
• Expectorant

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Alterative · Turkey · "
• Asthma · US · "
• Bronchitis · Elsewhere · "
• Cancer · US(Pamunkey) · "
• Cathartic · Elsewhere · "
• Cicatrizant · Elsewhere · "
• Cough · US · "
• Diaphoretic · Elsewhere · "
• Diuretic · Turkey · "
• Diuretic · Elsewhere · "
• Dyspepsia · US · "
• Emetic · Turkey · "
• Emetic · Elsewhere · "
• Expectorant · Elsewhere · "
• Fever · Elsewhere · "
• Medicine · US(Appalachia) · "
• Mole · US(Appalachia) · "
• Nervine · Turkey · "
• Pleurisy · Elsewhere · "
• Pneumonia · Turkey · "
• Poison · Turkey · "
• Rheumatism · Elsewhere · "
• Ringworm · US(Rappahannock) · "
• Sore · Elsewhere · "

12 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Plant microbiomes have a greater effect than plant size on flowering and growth in Asclepias syriaca · 2026 source ↗
• Monarch Performance and Cardenolide Sequestration Decline on Naturally Derived Hybrid Milkweeds (Asclepias syriaca x speciosa). · 2026 source ↗
• Monarch performance and cardenolide sequestration decline on naturally derived hybrid milkweeds (Asclepias syriaca x speciosa) · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• BETA-AMYRIN
• ASCLEPIADIN
• CAOUTCHOUC
• CINNAMIC-ACID
• CONDURANGIN
• CYMAROSE
• DESGLUCOUZARIN
• 9,12-HEXADECADIENOIC-ACID
• 9-HEXADECENOIC-ACID
• LINOLENIC-ACID
• NICOTINE
• 11-OCTADECENOIC-ACID
• OLEIC-ACID
• POLYPHENOLS
• PROTEIN
• RHAMNOSE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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