Beyond the Berries: Foraging for Common Milkweed in Upstate NY
Hello, fellow foragers and book lovers!
Jim here, from Forage With Me Books. After our delightful adventures foraging for sweet wild strawberries and pungent ramps, I’m excited to guide you to our next wild treasure: Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).
If you’re from around here, you’ve seen it a thousand times in meadows, along roadsides, and in sunny fields. But you might not know that it’s one of the most versatile and delicious wild vegetables you can find. It’s a true lesson in discovery—a core value we cherish here. By learning to see a common "weed" as a wonderful food source, we also practice sustainability, choosing to harvest with care from nature's pantry.
A Quick Word on Monarchs and Sustainable Harvesting
Before we dive in, let's talk about our beautiful Monarch butterflies. Milkweed is the only food source for Monarch caterpillars. This is incredibly important. When we forage, we do so with respect and care.
Our rule of thumb is to forage from large, healthy patches of milkweed. Never take more than 1/3 of the shoots, buds, or pods from any single area, and always leave plenty for the Monarchs. If you see a Monarch egg (a tiny, cream-colored dot on the underside of a leaf) or a caterpillar, leave that plant alone. They were there first! This thoughtful approach ensures that both we and the butterflies can enjoy this amazing plant for years to come.
Identifying Common Milkweed
Finding milkweed is the easy part. Identifying it correctly is key.
Stems: A single, thick, sturdy stalk that can grow 3-5 feet tall. It’s typically green and has a fine, soft fuzz.
Leaves: Large, oblong leaves grow in opposite pairs along the stem. They are green on top with a prominent white or pinkish midvein, and lighter green and fuzzy underneath.
The Telltale Sign: Break off a small piece of a leaf. A milky white, sticky sap will ooze out. This is its most famous characteristic!
Its most common look-alike is Dogbane, which is toxic. Dogbane has a reddish, branching stem that is smooth and almost shiny, not fuzzy like milkweed. Its leaves are also smaller. When in doubt, stick with the fuzzy, single-stalked plant with the thick, milky sap.
Important Look-Alikes: Foraging Safely and Responsibly
Its most common look-alike is Dogbane, which is toxic. Dogbane has a reddish, branching stem that is smooth and almost shiny, not fuzzy like milkweed. Its leaves are also smaller. When in doubt, stick with the fuzzy, single-stalked plant with the thick, milky sap.
Ethical & Sustainable Foraging Practices: What to Harvest and When
The amazing thing about milkweed is that it offers multiple harvests throughout the season!
Spring Shoots (May - Early June): When the shoots are young and tender, about 6-8 inches tall, you can snap them off at the base. They taste like a cross between asparagus and green beans.
Flower Buds (Mid-to-Late June): Just before the flowers open, the tightly clustered green buds look like small heads of broccoli. These are my personal favorite! They have a mild, sweet flavor.
Open Flowers (July): The fragrant pink and purple flowers can be collected to make a beautifully floral simple syrup for drinks or desserts. Just be sure to shake out any insect visitors!
Young Pods (July - August): The most surprising edible part! Harvest the pods when they are small, firm, and no more than 1.5-2 inches long. If you squeeze one and it’s still soft, it’s good to go. The inside should be all white and silky, with no browning seeds.
How to Prepare Your Harvest
All edible parts of the milkweed plant must be cooked. The raw sap contains compounds that can be bitter and cause stomach upset. A quick blanch (boiling in salted water for 2-3 minutes, then plunging into an ice bath) is the best way to prepare all parts of the plant before using them in a recipe. This removes any bitterness and locks in the bright green color.
Further Reading & Resources:
Knowledge is best when it's shared! If you want to continue your foraging journey and learn even more, these resources are a great place to start. They helped inform this article and are trusted sources in the foraging community.
Forager's Harvest by Samuel Thayer: This is the book we recommend for an in-depth look at milkweed and other essential wild edibles. It’s a cornerstone for any forager's library.
University of Minnesota Extension - Common Milkweed: A great academic resource for identifying common milkweed and understanding its role in the ecosystem.
Wild Foodism - How to Eat Common Milkweed: A practical guide from a popular foraging blog that walks through the different edible parts and preparation methods.
Happy learning, and we'll see you in the shop or on the trail!
The Taconic Forager / Forage With Me Books, its owner, authors, and affiliates are not liable for any personal injury, adverse effects, health consequences, or damages resulting from the use or misuse of the information presented on this blog. Your decision to forage and consume wild edibles is made at your own sole risk and discretion.
Please forage responsibly, sustainably, and always with caution.
