Button Snakeroot, Rattlesnakemaster
Eryngium aquaticum
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
What it is like
Eryngium aquaticum is an evergreen Perennial growing to 1.2 m (4ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Wet soils or uplands.
Eastern N. America - New Jersey to Florida.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 2
The plant is diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant and in large doses emetic. It is used mainly in the treatment of disorders of the kidneys and sexual organs. It has been used as an antidote to snake poison. The pounded roots are used as a diuretic. An infusion of them is used to reduce fevers. The plant is used as an antidote to snakebites. The roots are chewed and applied to the bite. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh or dried root.
Antidote: Counters poisoning.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
Homeopathy: A plant used in homeopathic treatments.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position. Prefers a light sandy soil but tolerates most soil types including lime and poor gravels. Plants should be put in their final position whilst small since they resent root disturbance. Plants labelled in nurseries as E. aquaticum are often E. yuccifolium.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame. The seed can also be sown in spring. It usually germinates in 5 - 90 days at 20°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring or autumn. Take care since the plant resents root disturbance. Root cuttings in autumn or winter.
Best place to grow: Bog Garden; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist