Showy Milkweed

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

4

Native Status

❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ❌ ON

Closest Direction

W

CEC Eco-Regions

9 – Great Plains, 9.3 – West Central Semi-Arid Prairies, 9.3.4 – Nebraska Sand Hills

Rarity Notes

Not native to Ontario or Quebec. NatureServe global rank G5 (Secure), Canadian national rank N5 (Secure). Not listed under SARA. Core range is western North America from the prairies to the Pacific coast.

S22 G5/N5; S26 not SARA listed; S1 VASCAN distribution

Migration

Disjunct

Ecological Context

A western prairie species, showy milkweed is the Great Plains counterpart of common milkweed (A. syriaca). Found in savannas, prairies, roadsides, old fields, and meadows on sandy to loamy, usually moist soils. Native from Saskatchewan to British Columbia and south through the western US. Its native range does not extend to Ontario or Quebec; sporadic eastern records from Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin represent adventive, ephemeral outposts.

S6 FNA distribution and ecology; S1 VASCAN distribution; S4 habitat description

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Fire Retardant, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = High (not definitional)] | Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

Notes

As a monarch caterpillar host and nectar plant, showy milkweed functions as an insectary plant attracting beneficial insects. Hemenway lists it as a hardy perennial (Zone 3) with dye and fiber uses. Spreads by rhizomes but less aggressively than common milkweed. Best sited in prairie or meadow guilds where its spreading habit is an asset rather than a concern.

S72 Hemenway Zone 3, HP type, dye/fiber uses; S64 insectary; S46 less aggressive than A. syriaca

Medicinal Properties

ℹ

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Category

Dermatological Aid, Ophthalmic, Gastrointestinal Aid, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Venereal Aid

S28 Moerman Drug categories; S29 PFAF medicinal uses

Notes

Widely used in Indigenous medicine across western North America. Latex applied to warts and skin sores (Miwok, Cheyenne). Decoction of plant tops used as eyewash for snowblindness (Cheyenne). Root chewed fresh or dried and boiled for stomachache (Flathead). Root decoction taken in small doses for venereal diseases (Miwok). Root poultice applied to rheumatic joints. PFAF rates medicinal value 2/5. Caution: root may be poisonous in large quantities.

S28 24 Drug/Medicine uses; S29 PFAF detailed medicinal uses

Edibility & Foraging

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✅ Edible   

Foraging Notes

Extensively used as a food plant by Indigenous peoples of western North America. Young shoots eaten like asparagus (raw or cooked). Flower buds boiled with meat or soup; immature pods peeled and eaten raw or cooked. Flower clusters boiled into syrup. Latex hardened into chewing gum by Cheyenne, Acoma, Lakota, and other nations. PFAF rates edibility 4/5. One of the least toxic milkweeds, but positive identification is critical as other Asclepias species are highly poisonous.

S28 25 food uses across Cheyenne, Crow, Lakota, Hopi, Acoma, others; S29 PFAF edibility 4/5; S4 least toxic milkweed

Toxicity

⚠️ Moderate Toxicity

USDA rates toxicity as Slight. Contains cardiac glycosides (cardenolides), resinoids, and alkaloids typical of Asclepias. One of the least toxic milkweeds; Indigenous peoples prepared it extensively as food. PFAF notes the genus generally contains toxic compounds usually avoided by grazing animals. Some native tribes considered the plant poisonous in large quantities, particularly the root. Positive identification is essential before consumption as other milkweed species are lethally toxic.

S11 Toxicity=Slight; S29 PFAF known hazards; S4 least toxic milkweed warning

Seed Source

• Northern Wildflowers