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Eryngium yuccifolium

Common name:	Button Eryngo	Family:	Umbelliferae
Author:	Michx.	Botanical references:	43, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Eastern N. America - Connecticut to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota
Habitat:	Dry to moist open woods, thickets and prairies[43].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	E. yuccaefolium[E] E. yuccafolium[Sdg] E. yucifolium[E]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Button Eryngo [P,B], Button Snake-root [H], Button Snakeroot [S,L], Rattlesnake Master [S,H,L], Rattlesnake Master, Button Snakeroot [S], Snakeroot, Button [S], Snakeroot,Button [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	yuccifolium = Yucca leaved
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Us Us(Appalachia) Us(Cree) Us(Sc)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen perennial growing to 1m by 0.5m . It is hardy to zone 4. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies and beetles. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Diaphoretic Diuretic Emetic Expectorant Febrifuge Infertility Sialagogue.

The plant is diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic (in large doses), expectorant and febrifuge{46, 61].
A decoction of the roots has been found useful in cases of exhaustion from sexual depletion, with loss of erectile power, seminal emissions and orchitis[207]. A tincture of the roots is used in the treatment of female reproductive disorders[222].
The pounded roots are used as a diuretic[213]. An infusion of them is used to reduce fevers[213]. Chewing the root increases the flow of saliva[222].
The plant is used as an antidote to snakebites[257]. The roots are chewed and applied as a poultice to the bite[213, 274].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position[1]. Prefers a light sandy soil but tolerates most soil types including lime and poor gravels[200].
Plants should be put in their final position whilst small since they resent root disturbance[200].
Where this species is found growing wild in N. America, it is an indicator of native prairie[274].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame[200]. 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[200].
Root cuttings in autumn or winter[200].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[V] Images from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Eryngium yuccaefolium (a possible synonym).

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for Eryngium yuccafolium (a possible synonym).

[S] Image from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine

References for Eryngium yucifolium (a possible synonym).

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[207] Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Eryngium+yuccifolium
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