1. Guides
  2. RWMWD Plant Guide
  3. White Rattlesnake Root

White Rattlesnake Root

Prenanthes alba

Summary 2

Nabalus albus, the white rattlesnake-root, also known as Boott's rattlesnake-root or white lettuce, is a plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Canada and the Eastern United States. Details of the flower heads are needed to separate this species from others in the rattlesnake-root genus (Nabalus). The Iroquois applied a poultice of the roots of white rattlesnake root to rattlesnake bites. It can be found growing in forests, woodlands, and anthropogenic habitats.

Description 3

Family:
Asteraceae (Aster)

Height:
1 to 5 feet

Leaves:
Leaves are highly variable in shape, largest at the base of the plant and becoming smaller as they ascend the stem. As they ascend the stem the shape usually becomes more triangular, diamond shaped, or oval.

Flower:
Flowers hang down on branching racemes that arise from the leaf axils in the upper half of the plant. When fully open the flower is bell-shaped.

Bloom time:
August-September

Nicknames:
White Lettuce, Lion's-foot

Habitat:
part shade, shade; rich woods, thickets

Wildlife Benefits:
The flowerheads provide nectar to bumblebees and the foliage is sometimes grazed on by deer.

Can I plant this in my garden?
Prefers partial sun and tolerates shade.

References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabalus_albus
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/white-rattlesnake-root

Range 3

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Thomas Koffel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Thomas Koffel
  2. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabalus_albus
  3. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers