Rattlesnake Master

Common Name: Rattlesnake Master

Scientific Name: Eryngium yuccifolium

Origin: Southeastern to Midwestern United States

Family: Apiaceae

Bloom time: Summer

With a native range covering most of the eastern half of the United States, this unusual member of the carrot family is gaining popularity in the home garden scene because of its unique appearance, reliable hardiness in the toughest of soil and climate conditions, and its value as pollinator forage. The provenance of the common name is thought to be from its once widely accepted use by Native Americans as a treatment for snake bites. Growing to a height of 4 to 5 feet, this long-blooming perennial should be placed in a sunny location where it can be allowed to take center stage.