Rattlesnake Master - 2010 Summer Intern Blog - Reiman Gardens
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Rattlesnake Master

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Louis Hilgemann, Outdoor Horticulture Intern

Eryngium yuccifolium, or rattlesnake master, is a very unique herbaceous perennial plant and native to Iowa prairies. The plant gets its common name from Native Americans who used the roots as an antidote for rattlesnake bites. While not scientifically proven, it is still used by some to sooth rattlesnake bites as well as sore throats, poison oak, poison ivy, insect bites and wounds. The plant has linear foliage similar to yucca, and a very stiff flower stem allowing it to withstand the scorching summer heat.