• Photo of Eryngium aquaticum (Eryngium aquaticums)

Plant Profile: Eryngium aquaticum

Taxonomy: Eryngium aquaticum

Names

Bitter Snakeroot, Corn-Snakeroot, Eryngo, Marsh Rattlesnake Master, Rattlesnake Master

  • Photo of Eryngium aquaticum (Eryngium aquaticums)

Phonetic Spelling:er-RIN-jee-um a-KWA-ti-kum

Genus:Eryngium

Species:aquaticum

Family:Apiaceae

This wildflower thrives in its natural habitats, such as bogs, marshes, and other moist environments. It can also flourish in loamy garden soil, provided it receives sufficient water. While it prefers wet conditions, it can adapt to drier soil once established and demonstrates good drought resistance. The plant grows best in full sun to partial shade, although it may develop a more sprawling form in overly fertile soil or excessive shade. Taller specimens might require some support. With its attractive foliage and blooms, this wildflower is ideal for cut and dried arrangements, making it a standout choice for your garden. Alternatively, consider planting it in clusters in low-lying areas, near water features like rain gardens, ponds, or as part of borders. It readily naturalizes through seed dispersal.

Eryngium aquaticum Feature Summary

Eryngium aquaticum Image Gallery

Tags

#white
#showy flowers
#rain garden
#blue
#drought tolerant
#green
#showy
#cut flowers
#low maintenance
#interesting leaves
#wetlands
#blue leaves
#flower arrangements
#water plant
#low lying area
#dried flowers
#pond margins
#deer resistant
#naturalizes
#borders
#wildflower garden
#dry soils tolerant
#partial shade tolerant
#bog gardens

Similar Plants

Eryngium aquaticum Feature Summary

Flowers
Tiny white 5 parted florets (sometimes with a blue or purplish tinge) bloom in summer in tight, rounded, flower heads.
White
Blue
Green
Good Cut
Showy
Good Dried
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Wildflower
Clumping
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Occasionally Wet
Occasionally Dry
Frequent Standing Water
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
Loam (Silt)
Leaves
Green
Gray/Silver
Blue
Linear
Oblong
Lanceolate
Prickly
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Water Garden
Drought
Deer
Erosion
Butterflies
Songbirds
Bees

Eryngium aquaticum Attributes

Eryngium aquaticum: Country Or Region Of Origin

N. Central & E. U.S.A.

Eryngium aquaticum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Eryngium aquaticum: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Eryngium aquaticum Flowers

Eryngium aquaticum: Flower Description

Tiny white 5 parted florets (sometimes with a blue or purplish tinge) bloom in summer in tight, rounded, flower heads.

Eryngium aquaticum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Green
filter_vintage
White

Eryngium aquaticum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Eryngium aquaticum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Eryngium aquaticum Whole Plant Traits

Eryngium aquaticum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Eryngium aquaticum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Eryngium aquaticum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Eryngium aquaticum: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Eryngium aquaticum Cultural Conditions

Eryngium aquaticum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Eryngium aquaticum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Eryngium aquaticum: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Eryngium aquaticum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Eryngium aquaticum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Eryngium aquaticum Leaves

Eryngium aquaticum: Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green

Eryngium aquaticum: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Eryngium aquaticum: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Eryngium aquaticum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Eryngium aquaticum: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Eryngium aquaticum Stem

Eryngium aquaticum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Eryngium aquaticum Landscape

Eryngium aquaticum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Eryngium aquaticum: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Eryngium aquaticum: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Eryngium aquaticum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Eryngium aquaticum: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees