Plant Details

Eryngium yuccifolium

Rattlesnake Master

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Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a striking, drought-tolerant native perennial that attracts a wide range of pollinators.

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Description:

Rattlesnake master is a striking native perennial that brings a touch of the prairie to Jersey yards. Its stiff, upright stems are topped with round, thistle-like clusters of tiny white flowers, while its narrow, yucca-like leaves form a bold, clumping base that adds texture and structure to the garden. This plant is a pollinator powerhouse, drawing a wide range of native bees, butterflies, moths, and other beneficial insects to its blooms. It also serves as a host plant for the larvae of the rattlesnake-master borer moth (Papaipema eryngii).

Blooming from summer into early fall, rattlesnake master shines in small groups in native plantings, prairies, and border gardens. It performs best in full sun and dry, sandy, well-drained soil, though it adapts to a range of soil conditions. In rich, fertile soil or too much shade, the tall stems may flop and need staking for support. Because the leaves end in stiff spines, plant it away from walkways and high-traffic areas.

This species is native to the eastern and central United States. In New Jersey, however, it is considered historically native but extirpated: it was once documented here but no longer occurs naturally in the state. Gardeners can still help restore its presence by planting it in their yards, where it thrives as a drought-tolerant, deer- and rabbit-resistant addition to a Jersey-Friendly Yard.

Plant information adapted from the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, and Biota of North America Program (BONAP).

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