Eryngium yuccifolium Michx.

Northern Rattlesnake Master; Button Eryngo; Corn Snakeroot

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Northern Rattlesnake Master is a native herbaceous perennial in the Carrot family (Apiaceae). It can be found throughout most of Alabama. Northern Rattlesnake Master occurs in prairies, in cedar glades, on rock outcrops, in open forests, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with thick, cord-like roots. Leaves are basal and cauline. The basal leaves form solitary or clusters of rosettes. The cauline leaves are alternate. Leaves are linear or lanceolate in outline, parallel veined, bluish-green in color, thick and leathery in texture, with solitary bristle-like teeth along the margins. Flowers are produced in heads arranged in cymes at the top of a tall flowering stem. The flowering stems are erect and branched near the apex. Each head is subtended by several prominent bracts that are shorter than the head. Individual flowers are greenish-white in color and inconspicuous. Individual flowers have 5 white petals, a pistil divided into 2 white styles and 5 stamens with white filaments and tan anthers. The fruit is mericarp. Northern Rattlesnake Master is an important nectar source for a variety of pollinators, especially native bees, wasps, and moths. It is a larval food plant for the Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes). Plants are sometimes available from native plant nurseries. It can also be propagated by seed planted outdoors in fall or mature clumps can be divided in late spring or early fall. It prefers a site in full sun with moist soil. Northern Rattlesnake Master has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. The name “Rattlesnake Master” is said to come from the belief that one could use a flowering stem to charm and control a rattlesnake.—A. Diamond.

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Native FAC (NWPL)

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