White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
Tracheophyte: Angiosperm: Dicot: Daisy (Asteraceae)
Native North American Plant
Habitat: part sun to part shade sites with well drained soil.
ID Features: spear-shaped toothed leaves with white flowers on top of plant.
Natural History: White Snakeroot (formerly known as Eupatorium rugosum) is a poisonous weed that causes illness in livestock and humans. It contains the toxin tremetol which can be passed to humans through the milk of livestock. Tremetol is an unusual alcohol that causes nausea, vomiting, tremors, and nervous system failure leading to death in humans. Thousands died in the midwest during the 19th century by consuming milk contaminated with tremetol.
