Lance Carson
White snakeroot, scientifically known as Ageratina altissima, is a highly toxic plant species native to the central and eastern United States and some parts of Canada. Despite its toxicity, it is prized for its fragrance and is often used in perfumes. White snakeroot contains the toxin tremetol, which can cause poisoning in humans and livestock, particularly through the consumption of milk from affected animals. However, the plant has some medicinal uses, such as treating fever, diarrhea, and kidney stones, and its leaves can be used to treat snakebite wounds. With its white flowers and fern-like foliage, white snakeroot is a source of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and moths, making it valuable for native pollinators.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common names | Bugbane, Bugwort, Cohosh, Snakeroot, Appalachian white snakeroot |
| Scientific name | Ageratina altissima |
| Varieties | Ageratina altissima var. altissima, Ageratina altissima var. roanensis |
| Height | 1-4 feet tall |
| Flower colour | White |
| Flower phyllaries | Differ in length between varieties |
| Flowerheads | Altissima: 3-5mm long, not cusped; Roanensis: 4-7mm long, cusped |
| Apices | Differ in shape between varieties |
| Foliage | Dark and leafy greens |
| Bloom time | Late summer to fall |
| Toxicity | Toxic to mammals, including humans, horses, cattle, goats, and sheep |
| Medicinal uses | Roots can be brewed in tea to treat fever, diarrhoea, or kidney stones; leaves can be used to treat snakebite wounds and wake people who have fainted |
| Native region | Eastern United States, Canada |
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What You'll Learn
- White snakeroot is toxic to mammals
- The plant is poisonous to cattle, horses, goats, and sheep
- It blooms in late summer and fall, attracting pollinators
- The roots of the plant have been used in tea to treat fever, diarrhea, and kidney stones
- The plant is native to the central and eastern United States and Canada
White snakeroot is toxic to mammals
White snakeroot, or Ageratina altissima, is a poisonous perennial herb native to eastern and central North America. It is toxic to mammals, including livestock and humans. The toxic agent in white snakeroot is tremetone, a type of toxin that, when consumed by cattle, contaminates the meat and milk with poison. This poison can then be passed on to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat or milk. In fact, in the 19th century, many people in rural areas died from drinking milk from cows that had grazed on white snakeroot, a condition known as milk sickness. Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the mother of Abraham Lincoln, may have died from this disease.
White snakeroot is toxic to livestock, causing muscle necrosis, soft tissue infection, and cardiotoxicity, which can lead to heart damage. Animals poisoned by white snakeroot may exhibit symptoms such as weight loss, constipation, foul-smelling breath and urine, trembling, listlessness, and excessive salivation. The poison is also transmitted to nursing animals through their mother's milk. Both cattle and horses are susceptible to white snakeroot poisoning, and fatality rates among poisoned livestock are high.
While white snakeroot is toxic to mammals, it does offer some benefits. The roots of the plant can be brewed into a tea to treat fever, diarrhoea, or kidney stones. The leaves of the plant can be used to treat snakebite wounds and to wake people who have fainted by burning the leaves and inhaling the smoke. White snakeroot also provides nectar for pollinators such as bees, moths, flies, and butterflies, and its seeds are enjoyed and spread by overwintering birds.
White snakeroot typically grows in dry and shaded areas, reaching heights of up to five feet. It has white flowers that bloom in the fall, attracting pollinators with their nectar. The plant has two varieties: Ageratina altissima var. altissima and Ageratina altissima var. roanensis, which differ in the shape of their flower heads. It is important to note that white snakeroot is highly poisonous and should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.
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The plant is poisonous to cattle, horses, goats, and sheep
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima, formerly Eupatorium rugosum) is a poisonous perennial herb native to eastern and central North America. It is toxic to cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, and has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of people and livestock.
The plant contains the toxin tremetol, which contaminates meat and milk when consumed by cattle. This poison is then passed on to humans, causing tremetol poisoning, also known as milk sickness. While the toxicity of the plant decreases after being dried and stored for several years, it does not disappear entirely.
Signs of poisoning in animals include depression and lethargy, a particular stance with the hind feet (close together in horses, goats, and cattle, and far apart in sheep), nasal discharge, excessive salivation, an arched body posture, and rapid or difficult breathing. Horses may die one to two days after consuming the plant, and as the disease progresses, they experience skeletal and heart muscle damage and are unable to stand.
White snakeroot is toxic to horses even when dried in hay or as dry plant stalks, and horses are believed to be more prone to the plant's effects than ruminant livestock. Toxicity in cattle occurs when they eat 5 to 10% of their body weight in white snakeroot over a few days. Goats are also at risk of poisoning, as demonstrated by a 2015 study where goats dosed with white snakeroot plant material were poisoned.
White snakeroot is a relatively obscure toxic plant, and many books about small-herd livestock do not mention it. However, it is important for farmers and livestock owners to be aware of its dangers, particularly with the resurgence in homestead farming, which increases the chances of livestock encountering the plant.
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It blooms in late summer and fall, attracting pollinators
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a bushy, shrub-like perennial that blooms in late summer and fall. Its bright white flowers are slightly fragrant, with a perfume reminiscent of a sweet blend of honey and jasmine with hints of vanilla. The plant is native to eastern North America, typically found in woodlands and meadows, and is known for its dangerous toxicity to mammals. However, its late-season blooms provide an important food source for pollinators such as bees, moths, flies, and butterflies.
White snakeroot typically grows 2-4 feet tall in partially shady, moist areas, though it can adapt to drier conditions. It is a self-seeding plant that spreads through fibrous rhizomes, quickly forming colonies. The leaves are lanceolate-shaped, with coarse toothed margins and pointed tips, and they become smaller towards the top of the stem. The leaves are medium green with pale undersides and three prominent veins on the upper surface.
As a late-blooming plant, white snakeroot is a valuable food source for pollinators when many other blooms have faded. Its flowers provide nectar for bees, moths, flies, and butterflies, while its leaves serve as a host for fly eggs, which hatch in the spring. White snakeroot is also a food source for overwintering birds, which spread its seeds.
The plant's toxicity has historically caused problems, particularly during the colonial era when many families kept cattle and drank their milk. If cows consumed white snakeroot, their milk would become poisonous, leading to "milk sickness" in humans, which caused flu-like symptoms and even death. Despite its toxicity, white snakeroot is valued for its ability to attract pollinators and spice up gardens or forests with its pretty white flowers.
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The roots of the plant have been used in tea to treat fever, diarrhea, and kidney stones
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima), a member of the sunflower family, is a tall-growing native plant of North America. It is commonly found in the eastern United States, particularly in the state of Missouri, and is often spotted in wooded areas, along roadsides, and under power line clearances. This plant is characterised by its delicate clusters of white blooms, lasting from summer through fall, and its preference for moist, shady areas.
White snakeroot has a rich history of medicinal use, particularly by Native Americans. While the plant is toxic and can cause illness in humans and livestock when consumed, its roots have been traditionally brewed into tea to address specific health concerns. The roots of the white snakeroot plant have been used in tea preparations to treat fever, diarrhoea, and kidney stones. This traditional use of the plant's roots stands in contrast to the toxic effects associated with the consumption of other parts of the plant.
The roots of the white snakeroot plant have been valued for their therapeutic properties, particularly in tea infusions. By brewing the roots into a tea, people have traditionally sought relief from fever, diarrhoea, and kidney stones. This traditional use of the plant's roots is worth further exploration, as it showcases the plant's potential medicinal benefits beyond its toxic reputation.
In addition to its roots, other parts of the white snakeroot plant have also been utilised medicinally. The leaves, for instance, have been employed in the treatment of snakebite wounds. The smoke from burning leaves has also been believed to be effective in reviving unconscious individuals. However, it is important to approach these traditional uses with caution, as white snakeroot contains tremetone, a toxic agent that can cause illness, particularly when consumed through contaminated milk from affected animals.
While the roots of the white snakeroot plant have been traditionally used in tea to address specific health concerns, modern commercialisation of milk production has helped mitigate the risk of poisoning. The dilution of milk from large herds has reduced the concentration of tremetol, the toxic agent, to subclinical levels. However, the presence of white snakeroot in pastures and hay fields still poses a threat to grazing animals, and preventive measures, such as separating livestock from areas where the plant grows, remain crucial.
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The plant is native to the central and eastern United States and Canada
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a herbaceous perennial plant native to the central and eastern United States, from Texas in the west to Maine in the east and north, and Florida in the south. The species is also native to Canada, specifically Quebec, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories. The plant is toxic to mammals, but provides nectar for pollinators such as bees, moths, flies, butterflies, and wasps. It is shade-tolerant and thrives in moist, shady woodlands and brush thickets, as well as areas with open bare ground.
The name "snakeroot" comes from the erroneous belief among early settlers that the plant's bitter rhizomes could treat snakebites. However, the plant is highly toxic, causing "milk sickness" in humans who consume the meat or milk of cattle that have grazed on it. This toxicity has made it a challenging plant for gardeners, who must take precautions to prevent its spread to areas accessible to children, pets, and livestock.
Despite its toxicity, white snakeroot has been cultivated for its aesthetic appeal and ability to support biodiversity and erosion control. It blooms in late summer and fall, producing bright white flowers with a strong, sweet fragrance reminiscent of honey, jasmine, and vanilla. The plant's scientific name, Ageratina, is derived from the Greek word meaning "un-aging", referring to the flowers' long-lasting colour.
White snakeroot has a significant history in North America, particularly among Native American tribes who used a root poultice made from the plant for medicinal purposes. The plant's toxicity was not discovered until the 1830s by Dr. Anna Pierce Hobbs Bixby, who is credited with identifying it as the cause of milk sickness, which killed thousands of people during the early 19th century.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, white snakeroot is often fragrant. It has tiny panicles of white blossoms that stand out.
No, you should not use white snakeroot to make perfume. It contains the toxin tremetol, which is dangerous to humans and animals.
White snakeroot is a native plant of North America. It is found in wooded areas, along roadsides, in fields, and under powerline clearances.
