Swamp milkweed, rose wilkweed

Iroquois used swamp milkweed fibres in making rope, nets, straps and belts. First Nations also used it as an infusion in bath water to relax the body and as a herbal tea to expel intestinal worms. Both swamp milkweed and common milkweed are used in cooking. The young shoots, young leaves, flower buds and young fruit are cooked and eaten. They should be boiled twice and the water changed to remove the taste of the latex, which becomes more bitter as the plant matures. They are best picked young, from mid-May to late June. The fruit may be picked in July. It is better to eat common milkweed than swamp milkweed, since the latter is much rarer. Most species of milkweed contain a cardiac glycoside that is potentially toxic to livestock and humans. They should therefore be eaten in moderation.