1. Hildegard Kuse Loretta Kuse
Uses of Milkweed
Hildegard Kuse
Loretta Kuse

2. Milkweed Shoots
Young shoots can be picked, boiled in several waters and eaten as a green vegetable.

3. Milkweed Flower Buds
Young milkweed buds can be eaten after being boiled in water several times. They can be seasoned to taste and eaten as a green vegetable.

4. Small Milkweed Pods
Small milkweed pods can be used in hot dishes or eaten as a green vegetable. They too need to be processed in fresh boiling water several times before eating.

5. Milkweed Silk
During World War II people collected the milkweed silk for use in life preservers. Kapok was not available from the countries that ordinarily produced it.

6. Crafts
Pods and the silk in them can be combined with other natural materials to create beautiful craft items.

7. Bibliography These and Other Sources Contain Recipes for Preparing Milkweed.
Angier, B. (1974). Field guide to edible wild plants. Harrisburg Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books.
Thayer, S. (2006). The forager’s harvest. Ogema, Wisconsin: Forager’s Harvest.
Thayer, Samuel Nature’s garden: A guide to identifying, harvesting and preparing edible wild plants. Birchwood, Wisconsin: Forager’s Harvest Press.
Witty, H. (Ed.). (1976). Billy Joe Tatum's wild foods cookbook and field guide. New York: Workman Publishing Company.