Herb: Button Snakeroot


Latin name: Eryngium aquaticum


Family: Umbelliferae



Medicinal use of Button Snakeroot:

The plant is diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant and in large doses emetic. It is used mainly in the treatment of disorders of the kidneys and sexual organs. It has been used as an antidote to snake poison. The pounded roots are used as a diuretic. An infusion of them is used to reduce fevers. The plant is used as an antidote to snakebites. The roots are chewed and applied to the bite. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh or dried root.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
120 cm
(4 feet)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Wet soils or uplands.

Propagation of Button Snakeroot:

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

Cultivation of the herb:

Wet soils or uplands.

Known hazards of Eryngium aquaticum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.