Asteraceae : Ageratina altissima
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Family Name
Asteraceae
Common Name
White snakeroot, Spotted joe-pyeweed
Native American Name
waȟčá pȟepȟéla
Description
Ageratina altissima is a perennial herb, arising from a fibrous. creeping rootstock, growing from 0.4 m to 1.5 m in height. The stems are variously purple spotted to uniformly purple. The leaves are simple, in whorls of 3-6, short-petioled, the blades lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, serrate. The inflorescence is a flattened cyme, and the flowers are in heads. The involucral bracts are imbricate obtuse and purplish. Flowers are white, light pink to purple and bloom from July to September. Fruits are achenes. White snakeroot is found in wet meadows, stream and pond margins, springs, and boggy places. This species is commonly found at low to mid elevations in the Black Hills.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Pick dried heads in late fall.
Germination: Plant in fall and let seeds over-winter to break dormancy.
Soils: medium to wet soils
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Additional Notes
The common name comes from Native American tribes using the roots to treat snake bites. The plants are toxic if eaten. The flowers attract butterflies, and the plants are tolerant of deer.