Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Alternate Names: Button snakeroot, Button eryngo
Family: (Apiaceae) Parsley
Habitat: Moist prairies
Height: 2-3 ft.
Bloom Period: May - August
The Wildlife Connection: Larval host plant for the black swallowtail butterfly.
Description: Perennial with spiny leaves. The leaves are very distinctive and yucca-like.
From USDA/NRCS Plant Fact Sheet: Rattlesnake master is an indicator species of a high quality coastal prairie remnant on the Upper Texas Coast. Rattlesnake master stands out on a prairie or in a garden with its unique yucca-shaped leaves and 2” round flowerheads made up of many small flowers. It adds interest to a landscaping, provides good wildlife cover and attracts a huge diversity of insects. It is a warm season perennial that grows to 6’ tall on wet or dry mesic prairies. Whitish bracts stick out sharply from the flowers, giving the flower head a rough, prickly feel and appearance. The heads have a honey-like odor and are in bloom June to September. The root of rattlesnake master has been used medicinally by American Indians and pioneers.
Don Verser
Don Verser
