milkweed

noun

1. any of several plants that secrete a milky juice or latex, especially those of the genus Asclepias, as A. syriaca.Compare milkweed family.
2. any of various other plants having a milky juice, as certain spurges.

noun

1. Also called: silkweed any plant of the mostly North American genus Asclepias, having milky sap and pointed pods that split open to release tufted seeds: family AsclepiadaceaeSee also asclepias
2. any of various other plants having milky sap
3. orange milkweed another name for butterfly weed
4. another name for monarch (def. 3)

n.1590s, from milk (n.) + weed (n.); used in reference to various plants whose juice resembles milk.