RattlesnakeMaster

=Rattlesnake Master= (Eryngium yuccifolium)

The **Rattlesnake Master** (also called **Button Snakeroot** or **Button Eryngo**)² is easily located on the AHS Prairie. This perennial plant blooms between the months of July and September,³ and is commonly associated with the yucca of the Southwestern United States.⁴

The roots of the rattlesnake master have been used medicinally for centuries, first by Native Americans and then by pioneers traveling west across the American interior.¹ Some Indians believed that a proper application of the plant's root would make them impervious to rattlesnake bites. More commonly, the root was ground up to make a bitter tea which was said to relieve snake bites, rout worms, and trigger vomiting.⁵

In the picture on the right, you can tell that the plant is rattlesnake master by its conical, almost pear-shaped head. The number of prickly barbs and their shape also suggests that this is a proper identification. If you click [|here], you will see a photo taken by an unknown photographer. Compare the plant in the picture to the image on the right. The similarities are undeniable.

Appearance
In full bloom, the rattlesnake master has a green-white flowering head. It can grow to anywhere from 2-6 feet in height. Delicate white barbs protrude from the flowering head's center - these structures cause the flower to feel prickly.¹ At this time, the plant has a thick green stem and narrow, splenetic basal leaves that can grow up to three feet in length.⁵

Growth Range
The rattlesnake master grows in a variety of prairie habitats, appearing naturally in the Upper Midwest and on the Eastern Seaboard of the continental United States.² The plant is extremely hardy, resistant to radical climate conditions and capable of growing in both wet and dry prairie environments.²

Interactions With Other Organisms
Wild rattlesnake master plants have long basal leaves, which serve as hosts to the larva of the Swallowtail Butterfly.² Rattlesnake master is also a common haunt of the honeybee, an insect which is attracted by the pollen produced on the plant's flowering head.⁴ This plant often grows within close proximity to big bluestem, black-eyed susan, and other tall prairie grasses.⁴

Role In The AHS Prairie
Like it does in other environments, the rattlesnake master on the AHS Prairie attracts a multitude of pollen-seeking insects during the long months of summer.⁴ Honeybees and some species of butterfly draw pollen and/or nectar from its blooming flowers.¹ These insects help to pollinate the rattlesnake master and ensure the continuation of its species on the AHS Prairie.