North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Eryngium yuccifolium

Eryngium yuccifolium Michx.

northern rattlesnake-master, rattlesnake master, button eryngo

Eryngium yuccifolium (Northern Rattlesnake-master)

Image ID: 29168
Image by: Oglesby, Emily
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: ERYU
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Eryngium yuccifolium
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2019-02-11

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: ERYNG
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Eryngium
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Eryngo
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 250 species, herbs, tropical and temperate.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Bell (1963)=Z; Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC; Calviño, Martínez, & Downie (2008, 2010); Calviño & Downie (2007).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: APIACE
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Apiaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: Lindley 1836 or UMBELLIFERAE A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Carrot Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 445 genera and about 3540 species of herbs (rarely shrubs or trees), cosmopolitan, but especially north temperate. Hydrocotyle is more closely related to Araliaceae, and has been transferred there (Chandler & Plunkett 2004).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC. [also see ARALIACEAE]

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Stiff, erect perennial of diabase barrens and glades, olivine barrens, pine savannas, pine flatwoods over loamy or clay soils, prairies and other open sites with at least periodic moisture.
STEMS: Stems stout, stiff, branched above, pale green.
LEAVES: Leaves alternate but mostly clustered toward base of stem, sessile, strap-like, to 40 in. long (reduced above), with parallel veins and widely spaced bristles on margins, thick and leathery, smooth.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers in 1-in.-wide compact, rounded heads at branch tips and top of stem, each head on several small, sharp-tipped bracts; flowers greenish-white, less than 1/4 in. wide, consisting of 5 minute petals and 5 green sepals as well as tiny, sharp bractlets.
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 2-4 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Basal
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: Jun-Aug

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
				x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Greenish-white

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x					x	x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Outcrops and glades, Pine savannas
NATIVE RANGE: southeastern & central U.S.

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: Small bluish-white florets are arranged on round heads at the end of its tall stems. The many small flowers are attractive to butterflies and many other pollinators. The specific epithet yuccifolium means â€œyucca-leafâ€ describing its leathery basal leaves. Grown for its attractive foliage as well as its interesting flowers. Try planting this with cardinal flower for a striking combination. 2016 N.C. Wildflower of the Year.

Bloom Table Text: Northern rattlesnake-master, is an unusual wildflower most noted for its distinctive foliage. As the species name (yuccifolium) suggests, the narrow, leathery leaves resemble those of the yucca, providing an attractive vertical contrast in the garden. Eryngo is quite easy to grow - as long as it has plenty of sun, it will tolerate both moist and dry soils, and requires little or no maintenance over the years. The flowers are dense, globe-shaped clusters of flowers that are first greenish-white, then age to a pale, steely blue. At one time, this plant was thought to be an excellent remedy for rattlesnake bites, and to treat fevers. Today, itâ€™s a great plant for pollinators! 2016 N.C Wildflower of the Year.

NCBG Location: Children's Wonder Garden, Education Center Landscape, Piedmont Habitat, Plant Families Garden

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Sun
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 5
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE: 2
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly, Butterfly Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
280	HORT	2009-01-01	NCBG staff	View
1352	HORT	2006-10-06	Bryan	View
1684	HORT	2005-01-01	Bryan	View
1834	HORT	2006-10-01	Bryan	View
2330	NPMD	2019-11-06	Touloupas	View
2380	NPMD	2019-12-05	Touloupas	View
2515	NPMD	2021-09-29	Marzolf	View

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
275	2011-0131	2011-06-16	280	View
1288	1986-1062			View
1926	1986-1712			View
2551	1986-2441			View
2836	1987-0343			View
5898	1995-1026			View
7053	1998-0339	1998-11-19		View
7527	2000-0287	2000-09-19		View
8445	2005-0519	2005-12-20		View
9427	2021-0090	2021-06-29		View
9446	2021-0105	2021-07-09	0	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
664	275	21	NCBG staff	2011-04-08	View
2241	1288	81	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
3051	1926	114	NCBG staff	1967-01-01	View
3052	1926	6	NCBG staff	1986-12-22	View
4316	2551	55	NCBG staff	2007-06-11	View
4718	2836	8	NCBG staff	1978-10-01	View
8432	5898	2	NCBG staff	1992-01-01	View
9935	7053	54	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
10576	7527	27	NCBG staff	2000-01-01	View
10577	7527	142	NCBG staff	2000-01-01	View
10578	7527	114	NCBG staff	1999-05-01	View
12740	9427	146	Wenck	2021-05-03	View
12837	9446	21	Liloia	0000-00-00	View
13158	9427	96	Briggs	2022-03-18	View
13424	9427	99	Briggs	2022-01-12	View
13807	9427	130	Briggs	2023-03-12	View
13983	0	81	Briggs	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: ERYU
USDA Common Name: Button Eryngo
Native Status: L48 (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC	FACW		FAC	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME:
COMMON NAME:
SYNONYMY:
PHENOLOGY:
HABITAT:
COMMENTS:
RANGE MAP:

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Apiaceae Lindley 1836 or UMBELLIFERAE A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Carrot Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 445 genera and about 3540 species of herbs (rarely shrubs or trees), cosmopolitan, but especially north temperate. Hydrocotyle is more closely related to Araliaceae, and has been transferred there (Chandler & Plunkett 2004).
REFERENCE: Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC. [also see ARALIACEAE]

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Eryngium L. (Eryngo)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 250 species, herbs, tropical and temperate.
REFERENCE: Bell (1963)=Z; Mathias & Constance (1945)=MC; Calviño, Martínez, & Downie (2008, 2010); Calviño & Downie (2007).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Eryngium yuccifolium in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Eryngium yuccifolium in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Eryngium yuccifolium in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Eryngium yuccifolium in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Eryngium yuccifolium in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Eryngium yuccifolium

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 29168 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 2496 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 2496 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 29167 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)