White Snakeroot
Eupatorium rugosum
Snakeroot is a native woodland wildflower in the same family as Boneset and Joe Pye Weed. They bloom in late summer - fall and have flat topped flower clusters. The clusters look fuzzy until you get a close up view.
I gave myself trouble when identifying this plant. Every field guide and on-line photo showed the fuzzy look and I had something that looked quite different in a macro. I could match the leaves, the fuzzy look but the macro photo just made me wonder.
This plant is poisonousand is known to cause ‘milk sickness’. When eaten by cows the toxins are passed to the cow’s milk. Consuming such milk causes weakness and nausea. Death may occur.
It has been reported fatal to horses.
Native Americans made a poultice from White Snakeroot used to treat snakebites.
As you can see - there’s nothing fuzzy looking about the flowers when you have a bee’s eye view.
September 21st, 2008 at 10:32 am
The cows do not get sick? They just pass it along in their milk? The dairy farmers must really be on the lookout for it - they don’t want to be selling contaminated milk. Very interesting post!
kml,
September 21st, 2008 at 11:57 am
it is a beautiful flower
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:05 am
It is a pretty plant, even if dangerous.
Aiyana
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I used to grow this plant. I really liked it, but I didn’t like it enough to have it everywhere crowding out everything else. I started trying to deadhead it, but I ended up having to cut off blooms too. That’s when I realized it was time to recycle it to the compost pile.