Common milkweed
General poisoning notes:
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a native perennial herb found in eastern Canada in fields, ditches, and waste places. This plant has poisoned sheep in the eastern United States. The plant contains cardiac glycosides, which are toxic to animals (Reynard and Norton, Joubert 1989).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Asclepias syriaca L.
Vernacular name(s): common milkweed
Scientific family name: Asclepiadaceae
Vernacular family name: milkweed
Asclepias syriaca L.
Geographic Information
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Toxic parts:
Latex, leaves, stems
Toxic plant chemicals:
Desglucosyrioside, syrioboside, syrioside
Syrioside
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Sheep
General symptoms of poisoning:
Death.
Notes on poisoning:
A dozen sheep died after ingesting large amounts of common milkweed in Maryland. The plants, which were almost the only vegetation available during a drought, are normally distasteful to livestock (Reynard and Norton 1942).
