I transplanted three varieties of domestic milk weed to my garden. The flowers smell wonderful. The plants are exotic looking in a garden context. They attract bees and butterflies. And with luck you will soon see Monarch caterpillars crawling over the leaves. (Medicinal uses)

More in video: Native American Medicine (lactation).

Asclepias syriaca L., milkweed has toxic cardiac glycosides and requires careful preparation to be consumed, a few varieties may be toxic regardless of the preparations. I prepare firm milkweed pods for eating by boiling water and pouring it over the pods. Let set three minutes. Then drain the water and repeat this process three times. This helps extract the cardiac glycosides that are contraindicated as food.

Milkweed flowers are very fragrant, attract insects: butterflies, bees. I have batter dipped the flowers and fried them tempura style. Once again, be caution, try par boiling them first, then batter dip and fry.
	Milkweed sap contains cardiac glycosides. I have used this a paper paste. Native Americans believed the plant was a lactagogue because of the milky white sap, "Doctrine of Signatures."

Asclepias plant growing to 15 feet in West Indies. All species important worldwide as medicinal plants. More as an edible wild plant