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Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master)

Rattlesnake Master, Button Snakeroot, Rattlesnake's Master, Button Eryngo, Beargrass, Bear's Grass

Eryngium Yuccifolium, Rattlesnake Master, Button Snakeroot, Rattlesnake's Master, Button Eryngo, Dry soils plants, Blue flowers, silver perennials
Eryngium Yuccifolium, Rattlesnake Master, Button Snakeroot, Rattlesnake's Master, Button Eryngo, Dry soils plants, Blue flowers, silver perennials
Eryngium Yuccifolium, Rattlesnake Master, Button Snakeroot, Rattlesnake's Master, Button Eryngo, Dry soils plants, Blue flowers, silver perennials

Striking, Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master) is an evergreen perennial with luminous clusters of small, egg-shaped flowerheads, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), tightly packed with tiny greenish-white flowers, subtended by white pointed bracts. Appearing at the top of smooth, stiff, branched stems in mid-summer, they rise atop a basal rosette of sword-shaped, spiny-edged, yucca-like, blue-gray leaves. Once credited with the curative power of treating rattlesnake bites, Eryngium yuccifolium is commonly known as Rattlesnake Master. And don’t worry, it doesn’t attract rattlesnakes!

  • Easy to grow, low care, pest, and trouble-free, this Eryngium lights up the garden until early fall. Its beautiful texture and unique color, coupled with its long-lasting flowering make it a favorite of gardeners!
  • Bees, butterflies, and beneficial pollinating insects love it too, while deer and rabbits tend to dislike it.
  • Growing in clumps of stiffly erect, branched stems up to 4-5 ft. tall (120-120 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm), this perennial prefers full sun locations and enjoys dry, well-drained soils. Tolerates poor soils. Avoid planting in moist and fertile soils, where it will tend to sprawl and may require support. Drought tolerant
  • Excellent choice for beds and borders or naturalistic plantings, where the white flowerheads and blue-gray foliage will superbly complement the vibrantly colored summer flowers. Perfect for coastal gardens, cottage or city gardens.
  • Deadhead spent flowers to prevent undesired self-seeding.
  • Transplants poorly and is best left undisturbed once established.
  • Native to the United States.

Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 10
Heat Zones 1 - 12
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Apiaceae
Genus Eryngium
Common names Sea Holly, Rattlesnake Master
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 4' - 5'
(120cm - 150cm)
Spread 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spacing 24" - 36"
(60cm - 90cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Virginia, Wisconsin
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden, Coastal Garden, City and Courtyard
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Eryngium (Sea Holly)
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Eryngium leavenworthii (False Purple Thistle)
Eryngium x oliverianum (Oliver Sea Holly)
Eryngium planum ‘Blue Cap’ (Flat Sea Holly)
Eryngium alpinum (Alpine Sea Holly)
Eryngium alpinum ‘Blue Star’ (Alpine Sea Holly)
Eryngium pandanifolium (Giant Sea Holly)

Recommended Companion Plants

Sedum ‘Matrona’ (Stonecrop)
Echinacea pallida (Pale Purple Coneflower)
Echinacea paradoxa (Yellow Coneflower)
Echinops ritro ‘Veitch’s Blue’ (Globe Thistle)
Agastache ‘Black Adder’ (Giant Hyssop)
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

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A Pretty Prairie Planting Idea with Echinacea pallida, Eryngium and Agastache
A Pretty Perennial Planting Idea with Echinops, Eryngium and Sedum
An Easy Perennial Planting Idea with Echinops, Eryngium and Perovskia
Stunning Blue Flowers to Enhance Your Garden’s Beauty
How to Create an Enchanting Butterfly Garden
For the Love of Butterflies: Best Flowers to Attract them to Your Garden
6 Reasons You Should Create a Butterfly Garden
For the Love of Bees: Best Flowers to Attract them to Your Garden
How to Cultivate a Thriving Bee-Friendly Garden
Eryngium (Sea Holly)
Eryngium bourgatii (Mediterranean Sea Holly)
Eryngium planum (Flat Sea Holly)
Learn How To Plant, Care, and Grow Spectacular Sea Holly (Eryngium)
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 3 - 10
Heat Zones 1 - 12
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Apiaceae
Genus Eryngium
Common names Sea Holly, Rattlesnake Master
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 4' - 5'
(120cm - 150cm)
Spread 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spacing 24" - 36"
(60cm - 90cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Virginia, Wisconsin
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden, Coastal Garden, City and Courtyard
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Eryngium (Sea Holly)
Not sure which Eryngium (Sea Holly) to pick?
Compare Now

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