Ascelpias Amplexicaulis is a member of the milkweed family. It is also a member of the Asclepiadaceae family belonging to the wildflower population that is common in the United States. It predominately grows in the Central and Eastern areas of the country with its appearance in the spring of the year. The curly milkweed inhabits fields and woods in the sandy soil growing one to three feet in height. Although it is a beauty plant, it is also very poisonous to humans and animals.
Curly Milkweed is used for the fibrous materials of the plant. It is used as food and medicine throughout the United States and the southern areas of Canada. The stems of the plant have been historically documented as textiles used by the Pueblo region. Tewa people living in the Rio Grande use the fibers of the milkweed to create string and rope. The area of Zuni uses the seed fibers to create a spun yarn that is woven into fabric for their dancers’ apparel. The Pueblos consume the green pods of the milkweed and the raw roots found underground.
The fibers are tough making a sturdy material for cords and ropes as well as sturdy clothing. The stems are dried in the late fall and early wintertime then split to allow the fibers to release the inner contents naturally. To enforce the fibers, the milkweed is sometimes fused with Indian hemp producing a stronger material. Twisting the two fibers together then rolling them creates a long lasting rope used for many purposes.
The curly milkweeds are also used for food. The tender young shoots, unripe fruits, flower buds, and roots are boiled similar to other vegetables by the original inhabitants of the eastern and mid west areas of America. Some people use the tender younger leaves and stems as greens while the flowers are consumed raw or boiled for soups or an additive to meats.
The Native American tribes in California use the plants for chewing gum by using the sap after heating a mixture with fat of deer or salmon. In addition to using the sap for gum, the sap is used for cleansing or healing sore or cuts. It is often used as a cure for ringworm and warts as well. The hairs of the plant are burned from the ripened seeds then ground into a salve for the wounds.
The seeds are boiled in water then used in the liquid form to remove rattlesnake poison. The roots are used to create a tea to remedy the rash associated with measles and to aid in the healing of coughs. The mixture is also used for a wash to aid in rheumatism.
The natural abilities of the plant are used by butterflies to fend off their predators since the ingredients make the insects unappealing in tastes. The curly milkweed although having benefits and abilities to heal in aiding with humans is toxic when consumed by sheep and cows.
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