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White Snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Summary 2

Ageratina altissima, also known as white snakeroot, richweed, white sanicle, or tall boneset, is a poisonous perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to eastern and central North America. An older binomial name for this species is Eupatorium rugosum, but the genus Eupatorium has undergone taxonomic revision by botanists, and a number of the species that were once included in it have been moved to other genera.

Description 3

Family:
Asteraceae (Aster)

Height:
1 to 4 feet

Leaves:
Leaves (up to 6" long) grow in oppositely-attached pairs along the stem. Leaves are heart-shaped, tapering into a sharp point at their tip. Leaf edges are covered in coarse teeth.

Flower:
Multiple small white flowers form flat clusters.

Bloom time:
July-October

Nicknames:
White Sanicle

Habitat:
Woodlands, thickets

Can I plant this in my garden?
An easy-to-grow plant as long as it has access to adequate moisture. Prefers part shade and is likely to do well under moderate tree cover.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/white-snakeroot
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/wh_snakeroot.htm

Range 3

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
  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/Ageratina_altissima
  3. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNaturalistAU Map

Habit Forb
Origin native
Life cycle perennial
Flower white
Family Asteraceae
Bloom time (7) July, (8) August, (9) September, 10 - October
*sites Gervais Mill Pond, Lake Phalen, Snail Lake
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