Illustration of milkweed
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
Examples of milkweed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To attract butterflies, consider planting milkweed, verbena and aster.
—
Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025
Monarchs, for instance, lay eggs only on milkweed plants because that’s the only food their young can eat.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025
Planting a pollinator garden with milkweed — the only plant the butterflies will lay eggs on — and nectar-producing plants for food can provide a hospitable stopover for migrating monarchs between August and October.
—Madalyn Mendoza, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Swamp milkweed can grow 3 to 4 feet tall, so give it a heavy pot that won't easily tip over.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for milkweed
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Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025
Monarchs, for instance, lay eggs only on milkweed plants because that’s the only food their young can eat.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025
Planting a pollinator garden with milkweed — the only plant the butterflies will lay eggs on — and nectar-producing plants for food can provide a hospitable stopover for migrating monarchs between August and October.
—Madalyn Mendoza, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Swamp milkweed can grow 3 to 4 feet tall, so give it a heavy pot that won't easily tip over.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for milkweed
Cite this Entry
“Milkweed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milkweed. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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