The story behind the name "Milkweed Herbals"

January 26th, 2023

I first came up with the name Milkweed Herbals just after finishing up my first year of herbal studies in 2016. It was a name I was drawn to because milkweeds are the host plant to monarch butterflies. I have always loved and been fascinated with butterflies, monarchs especially. I love the colors of their wings that range from deep orange to pale orange accented with black outlines and little black bodies. And then there's the whole transformational aspect that caterpillars go through to become butterflies. This transformation can be used as a metaphor for the healing aspects of any type of healing really. And just like the milkweed is host to the monarch that allows a safe space for it to transform, I too am a "host" or guide of information for others along their healing path of transformation.

Upon researching milkweeds I came across it's scientific name, Asclepias. Which translates into Asclepius, the Greek God of Medicine. I thought, "that's perfect! I want to offer herbal medicine and what better name than this that actually translates into someone powerful in medicine". Later that night at home I was sitting down with my child (then 9 years old) and they where showing me a book that they had illustrated of different types of fairies and they had given them all names. Yes, we watched a lot of Tinkerbell back then! And no I had not told them I was thinking about this name. My child then flip's to the page of a fairy named Milkweed and says, "Look mommy, it's you, Milkweed!". At that moment, Milkweed Herbals as my name was solidified.

Here is the drawing they did.