Rabbit Tobacco Has Many Uses
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If you’ve heard of cudweed or sweet everlasting, then you’re already familiar with rabbit tobacco (pseudognaphalium obtusifolium). This North American native maxes out at around 2 ft. tall and is recognized by dull white flowers and leaves and stems that appear covered in a soft white fuzz. Step close, and you might notice its distinctive maple syrup scent.
Rabbit tobacco is a bi-annual herbaceous plant that’s part of the aster family, making it a close relative of the dandelion. It blooms in the fall, though the plant doesn’t change much when it does so. Even when dead and dried out, it’ll still have its dry, fuzzy look that makes it stand out in fields. You’re most likely to find the plant in dry, sandy habitats across eastern North America. Woodlands, coastal dunes, roadsides, and lightly disturbed areas are all prime growing spaces.
Despite its name, rabbit tobacco is usually not smoked. However, there’s some historical precedence for using its smoke to “cure” people haunted by ghosts and send spirits to the afterlife. Still, it offers some health benefits and has been a staple of medicinal practices for Native American tribes for centuries.
For example, the Cherokee turned it into an infusion for relieving muscle cramps and ingested it with Carolina Vetch to treat rheumatism. For the Choctaw, the leaves and blossoms were used to ease lung pain. Likewise, the Alabama Tribe found it valuable for addressing insomnia. Other tribes have found value in the scrappy weed as a natural perfume, treatment for vomiting, and fever reliever, among other uses. Rabbit tobacco also found a place in Southern folk medicine.
Some believe the plant works best once the leaves turn brown after being touched by the first frost. That’s because the phytochemicals, including terpenes, don’t develop until then. These compounds have a wide variety of effects and are known for their anticancer, antispasmodic, and antiviral properties.
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Rabbit Tobacco Has Many Uses CROPS New Techniques If you’ve heard of cudweed or sweet everlasting then you’re already familiar with rabbit tobacco pseudognaphalium obtusifolium This North American native maxes out at around 2 ft tall and is recognized by dull white flowers and leaves and stems that appear covered in a soft white fuzz Step close and you might notice its distinctive maple syrup scent Rabbit tobacco is a bi-annual herbaceous plant that’s part of the aster family making it a close relative of the dandelion It blooms in the fall though the plant doesn’t change much when it does so Even when dead and dried out it’ll still have its dry fuzzy look that makes it stand out in fields You’re most likely to find the plant in dry sandy habitats across eastern North America Woodlands coastal dunes roadsides and lightly disturbed areas are all prime growing spaces Despite its name rabbit tobacco is usually not smoked However there’s some historical precedence for using its smoke to “cure” people haunted by ghosts and send spirits to the afterlife Still it offers some health benefits and has been a staple of medicinal practices for Native American tribes for centuries For example the Cherokee turned it into an infusion for relieving muscle cramps and ingested it with Carolina Vetch to treat rheumatism For the Choctaw the leaves and blossoms were used to ease lung pain Likewise the Alabama Tribe found it valuable for addressing insomnia Other tribes have found value in the scrappy weed as a natural perfume treatment for vomiting and fever reliever among other uses Rabbit tobacco also found a place in Southern folk medicine Some believe the plant works best once the leaves turn brown after being touched by the first frost That’s because the phytochemicals including terpenes don’t develop until then These compounds have a wide variety of effects and are known for their anticancer antispasmodic and antiviral properties
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