Translations:AY Honors/Edible Wild Plants/Answer Key/79/en
Milkweed
The parts of a milkweed plant that are edible are the leaves, stems, shoots, flowers, and pods. The pods must be collected while they are young, and the flowers are not in season for very long. There are many edible wild plant authors who claim that milkweed must be boiled in multiple changes of water to eliminate its bitterness. However, Samuel Thayer in his book Forager's harvest & decisively puts this notion to bed, and traces it to the writings of Euell Gibbons. Most authors simply parrot what Gibbons wrote. Thayer suggests that milkweeds reputation was gained because it was confused with dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) which is bitter. Milkweed is not bitter, even when raw (though it is best to boil it for a few minutes). If it is bitter, it is not milkweed and should not be eaten. Do not waste time and energy boiling it in multiple changes of water.
