Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?
The answer to last week’s mystery is rattlesnake weed, Hieracium venosum, pictured in photo #2.
The rattlesnake weed, Hieracium venosum, also known as hawkweed, is a native perennial wildflower in the aster family. Found in open woods, clearings, and dry, shady forests, its range stretches from southern Maine and southern Ontario south to Delaware, Georgia, and Tennessee.
This plant is most easily recognized by its basal rosette of bluish-green oval leaves, marked with a striking net-like pattern of purple-red veins. These markings are said to resemble the patterned skin of a rattlesnake, giving the plant its common name. From May through September, rattlesnake weed sends up long, slender, mostly leafless stalks topped with open clusters of small yellow flower heads that look much like dandelions.
Like many members of the aster family, rattlesnake weed contains a harmless milky sap that appears when the stems, leaves, or flower stalks are broken. It grows well in dry, sandy, or rocky woodland settings and can be a nice addition to rock gardens or shaded native plantings. It also has a history of traditional medicinal use, valued for astringent, diuretic, and expectorant properties.
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.
