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Poisonous Plant - Milkweed
Asclepiadaceae (Asclepias syriaca and other species) Identification: a stomach-shaped seedpod with rows of silky white hairs between the seeds and seeds in follicles. big, ovate leaves that, when broken, release a sap that resembles milk.
Habitat: common waste-ground and roadside plant.
Toxins: Milkweed gets its name from its milky-colored juice, which also includes cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, latex, and galitoxin. When ingested in quantities equivalent to 10% or more of the animal's body weight, a few species are known to be poisonous. A lot of milkweed, that is.
Symptoms: A milkweed overdose causes spasms, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
First Aid: Before beginning any treatment, see a medical professional. Medication and sedation are used as treatments to prevent arrhythmias brought on by cardiac glycosides.
Note: There are many alternative safe plant options without cardiac glycosides, even if A. syriaca's blossoms and young shoots are edible with careful cooking (see FalconGuides’ Basic Illustrated Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs by Jim Meuninck). Native Americans in Africa and South America employ cardiac glycoside-poisoned arrows to kill wildlife. Mild contact dermatitis can also be brought on by milkweed. As the only food source for monarch butterfly larvae, milkweed is a visually pleasing and useful addition to any garden. The aroma of flowers is incredibly fragrant.
Asclepiadaceae (Asclepias syriaca and other species) Identification: a stomach-shaped seedpod with rows of silky white hairs between the seeds and seeds in follicles. big, ovate leaves that, when broken, release a sap that resembles milk.
Habitat: common waste-ground and roadside plant.
Toxins: Milkweed gets its name from its milky-colored juice, which also includes cardiac glycosides, alkaloids, latex, and galitoxin. When ingested in quantities equivalent to 10% or more of the animal's body weight, a few species are known to be poisonous. A lot of milkweed, that is.
Symptoms: A milkweed overdose causes spasms, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
First Aid: Before beginning any treatment, see a medical professional. Medication and sedation are used as treatments to prevent arrhythmias brought on by cardiac glycosides.
Note: There are many alternative safe plant options without cardiac glycosides, even if A. syriaca's blossoms and young shoots are edible with careful cooking (see FalconGuides’ Basic Illustrated Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs by Jim Meuninck). Native Americans in Africa and South America employ cardiac glycoside-poisoned arrows to kill wildlife. Mild contact dermatitis can also be brought on by milkweed. As the only food source for monarch butterfly larvae, milkweed is a visually pleasing and useful addition to any garden. The aroma of flowers is incredibly fragrant.
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