milkweed

noun

milk·​weed ˈmilk-ˌwēd 

: any of various plants that secrete latex

especially : any of a genus (Asclepias of the family Apocynaceae, the dogbane family) of erect chiefly perennial herbs with milky juice and umbellate flowers

Illustration of milkweed

Examples of milkweed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Designers also created buffers around streams and ponds to protect water quality, and planted a mix of native flowers and grasses, like milkweed and false sunflower, around tee boxes. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 24 Nov. 2024

State, local and private efforts are underway to plant and protect milkweed. —Nathan Rott, NPR, 19 Nov. 2024

During their migration, monarchs depend on flowering plants and milkweed, often found on private land. —Nathan Rott, NPR, 19 Nov. 2024

Fall is the best time to plant spring-flowering bulbs and native plant seeds that benefit from cold stratification, like milkweed and bee balm. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1592, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing milkweed

• milkweed bug
• milkweed butterfly

Kids Definition

milkweed

noun

milk·​weed ˈmil-ˌkwēd 

: any of various herbs with milky juice and flowers usually in dense clusters

Medical Definition

milkweed

noun

milk·​weed ˈmilk-ˌwēd 

: any of various plants that secrete latex

especially : any plant of the genus Asclepias (family Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family) including several whose dried roots were formerly used medicinally