White Snakeroot

White snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) and white coneflower(Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan' ) look great together. They share the same preference for partial sun and not too dry conditions. I planted the white coneflowers but the white snake root grows naturally all over the forest edges. It looks so dainty and delicate but it is a killer. It was the plant that killed Abe Lincoln's mother. It is the cause of milk sickness. Horses and cows die from eating it and so if you ingested the milk from a cow who had eaten this plant you too would become deathly ill. It took awhile for people to figure this all out. If you are interested in reading more, I reccomend the book Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart. Needless to say, this plant is now eradicated in pasture lands. Habitat Home has no cows or horses and the deer do not seem to browse it so I am free to enjoy its beauty.