- Botanical Name
- Asclepias incarnata
Swamp Milkweed
Details
Swamp milkweed is a herbaceous perennial native to North America, growing in damp to wet soils on the margins of flooded plains, lakes, ponds and marshes. Wikipedia says it is grown as a garden plant for flowers that attract butterflies and other pollinators with nectar, and that like most milkweeds it has latex containing toxic steroids, which repels many insects and mammals. Grieve describes a smooth, erect stem about two and a half feet high with fragrant rose-purple flowers in umbels, and a knotty yellow-brown rhizome that exudes a milky juice. She calls the root emetic and diuretic, and says it acts on the heart in the same way as digitalis.
Caution
Wikipedia says the latex contains toxic steroids. Grieve calls the root emetic and says it strengthens the heart in the same way as digitalis.
Correspondences
- Elements
- No elements recorded.
- Celestial Bodies
- No celestial bodies recorded.
- Zodiac Signs
- No zodiac signs recorded.
- Colours
- No colours recorded.
- Deities
- No deities recorded.
Folk Names
- Flesh-coloured Asclepias
- Rose Milkflower
- Rose Milkweed
- Rose-coloured Silkweed
- Swamp Silkweed
- White Indian Hemp
Categories
No categories recorded.
Substitutes
No substitutes recorded.
Forms
Root
Grieve gives the root as the part used. She calls it emetic, diuretic, anthelmintic and stomachic, and gives it in dropsy in place of digitalis, and for coughs, colds, rheumatism and asthma. She gives an infusion of half an ounce of the powdered root to a pint of boiling water, a powder dose of 15 to 60 grains, and vermifuge doses of 10 to 20 grams.
Caution
Grieve calls the root emetic and says it strengthens the heart in the same way as digitalis.
References
References
Bibliography
- Grieve, M. "Swamp Milkweed." A Modern Herbal. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/swamp101.html. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
1 3 - Wikipedia, under "Asclepias incarnata." Accessed October 29, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Asclepias_incarnata&oldid=1368757366. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
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