Milkweed

Photo by Dr. John Meade, weed scientist emeritus
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension

Milkweed is a weed of perennial crops or no-till fields. It very seldom is a problem in plowed and cultivated fields. A tall plant, it has a milky juice which was investigated as a source of rubber. The seed pods contain a silky material which was used at one time to stuff life preservers. Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a highly colored variant. Seldom a weed it is food for the monarch butterfly.

Additional Images

• Large Image of Milkweed
• Large Image of Milkweed Seed Pods
• Large Image of Orange Milkweed Flowers and Seed Pod
• Large Image of Orange Milkweed Flowers

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Original Photographs and Image Descriptions:

Dr. John Meade
Weed Scientist Emeritus
Dept. of Plant Biology & Pathology
Rutgers, The State Univ. of NJ
59 Dudley Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520