Common milkweed pods are a native vegetable that could be as familiar at summer greenmarkets as okra. As a food, milkweed still resides on the foraging fringes, or on rare restaurant menus, despite having been valued by Native Americans in regions throughout its range. Like okra, milkweed pods herald sweltering weather and are ready to harvest when crickets warm up and cicadas begin to zing. While succulent okra originates in Africa, and is grown as an annual crop in the United States, common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a cold-hardy perennial indigenous to eastern North America. It has edible shoots, buds, flowers, and immature pods. And it is one of the most valuable milkweed hosts for monarch butterfly larvae.
Here’s why to plant common milkweed as a vegetable, and how to prepare milkweed pods once you have gathered a clutch.
Photography by Marie Viljoen.
Dozens of milkweeds are native to North America. Monarchs, and hundreds of other insects, rely on them all for food. It bears repeating that the species we are discussing as human fare is Asclepias syriaca.
All parts of cooked common milkweed taste like a mild green vegetable, along with a distinctive sweetness. It is never bitter. If you have collected, or grow, a milkweed whose distinctive white sap does taste bitter (raw or cooked), it’s a different species. (Others may be edible, but we are not addressing them here.)
Common milkweed blooms in early to midsummer. Its plump umbels of blossoms are richly scented and they are edible in their own right, as are the immature green clusters of buds that precede them.
Milkweed pods form about three weeks after a flower has been pollinated. More than the spring shoots or flower buds, they taste uniquely like the scent of the flowers, their flavor coming from the soft white seeds and their pre-silk nestled inside rough, green capsules. While the pods are immature, before the silk has strengthened and the seeds hardened, the entire milkweed pod is edible. (Later, as the capsule toughens, the seed-and-silk cluster inside can be popped out and cooked alone, before the silk becomes tough.)
Despite the fact that this striking native plant is beautiful in bloom, supports hundreds of insect species, and is edible from nose to tail (as it were), it remains unusual in cultivation. I have yet to hear of a farmer growing it for the table, but perceptions shift: Ten years ago no one was bringing invasive and edible Japanese knotweed to market, either, and that has begun to change.
Wild common milkweed populations have dwindled due to development and to the agricultural and municipal use of herbicide. And monarch butterfly populations over the last couple of decades have declined dramatically, due to a combination of factors that includes habitat loss throughout their migratory range, climate change, and the use of pesticides and herbicides.
Monarchs depend on various milkweed species for food, but common milkweed is especially valuable because of its wide natural distribution. (Studies have found that a diversity of milkweeds is most attractive to egg-laying monarchs, so plant more than species, if you are considering supporting the butterfly; swamp milkweed is another favorite.)
Gardeners and farmers can help monarchs by growing common milkweed, harvesting a portion to eat (or not), and leaving the rest for the boost that the milkweed gives to the migrating butterflies, as well as to local pockets of biodiversity.
Because common milkweed spreads via rhizomes underground, colonies can grow rambunctious, eschewing straight rows. This is not a vegetable to be managed like corn. Instead, it is happiest in a meadow situation, and in a sunny, wild garden. Where I grew it in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, the shoots sometimes appeared in a gravel path beyond the vegetable garden, where I sliced them off in spring and ate them for dinner.
How to Grow Common Milkweed:
- Asclepias syriaca is hardy from USDA growing zones 3 to 9.
- Plant in full sun (it will tolerate shade but will produce few flowers).
- Common milkweed is drought tolerant and suited to a changing climate.
- It will grow in poor soils, and requires good drainage.
- Best planted in-ground, since it outgrows pots quickly.
- Best suited to meadow and natural gardens where its spread will be an asset.
How to Collect Milkweed Pods:
- Tender milkweed pods are generally under two inches long.
- If you are foraging, never pick all the pods off a plant: Leave some for seed-setting and dispersal. If you are growing your own, it’s your call.
- The latex that drips from any cut part of milkweed is very sticky. I find that I can clean my hands effectively when foraging by running them over the ever-present stems of invasive mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) wherever I collect the milkweed. When harvesting from my garden, a squirt of hand sanitiser did the trick.
- At home, store the pods in a bag or a container in the fridge for up to a week and wash just before preparing.
How to Prepare Milkweed Pods for Eating:
- Blanch milkweed pods in boiling water until just tender, about 1 to 3 minutes, depending on their size.
- Blanching dispels latex at the cut ends, and tenderises them.
- After blanching, add them to other dishes; or roast, sauté, or even deep-fry them.
- Once blanched they can also be frozen.
- Frozen in batches, the cooked milkweed pods can be added to any seasonal dish for a pop of wild flavor.
Ways to Eat Milkweed Pods:
Summer isn’t summer until I make several version of fried or dirty rice with the delicate sweetness of milkweed pods. (Having cooked rice ready for this one-skillet wonder means that supper is ready in under 30 minutes.)
But as a standalone vegetable, common milkweed pods excel.
Roasted Common Milkweed Pods with Cumin and Garlic Yogurt
Serves 4 as a side, or 1 as a stand-alone meal
The melting texture of roasted young milkweed pods is reminiscent of creamy eggplant. Straight from the oven, their crisper skins are a piping hot contrast. While the side of yogurt made bold with crushed garlic is an optional bonus, a roasted milkweed pod dragged through it will be one of the best things you have ever tasted. I believe your first words will be, “Wow.”
- 12 ounces (about 3 cups) young milkweed pods, about 1 1/2 inches long
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1 garlic clove
- Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the milkweed pods. They will float. When the water comes to a boil again, use a wide slotted spoon to dunk them under a few times. Blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop them out, dunk in a bowl of cold water, then roll up in clean towel to remove excess moisture (they are like mini sponges). When they are dry, place them in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over them and toss the pods so that they are coated with oil. Add the cumin and the salt. Toss very well again.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the seasoned pods evenly across the sheet and slide the tray into oven. Roast for 35 minutes, or until the milkweed pods are browning, and turning crisp (their interior will be very creamy).
Wile the pods are roasting combine the yogurt with the crushed garlic and the salt and spoon into a small dish.
Transfer to serving plate with the drip alongside. Best while very hot, they also can be served at room temperature.
See also:
- Landscape Ideas: What to Plant for Pollinators? Choose Milkweed
- Gardening 101: Milkweed
- Recipe: Milkweed Flower Cordial Captures Summer in a Glass
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