White Snakeroot

Identifying Characteristics:

• Grows up to 4 ft tall
• Opposite leaves are coarsely toothed along the margins
• White flower clusters bloom from mid-summer into fall

Plant Longevity:

• Perennial

Where Commonly Found:

• Open woods / wood lines
• Semi shaded areas
• Pastures
• Along creeks

Time of Most Concern:

• Green plant or when dried in hay

Compound that Causes Concern:

• Tremetol, a fat soluble, high molecular weight alcohol
• Crude tremetol was later shown to be separable into a toxic ketone fraction (61%) (tested in goldfish) and a sterol fraction (39%) which is nontoxic
• Ketone fraction was later separated into tremetone, dihydrotremetone and hydroxytremetone

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

• Leaves and stems
• Underground parts are thought to be less toxic

Livestock Species Affected:

• Cattle
• Horses
• Sheep
• Goats

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

• Both
  • Toxins can be in milk and affect the consumer of the milk (unweaned livestock and people)

Clinical Signs:

• Stiffness
• Depression
• Unsteadiness
• Anorexia
• Sweating
• Heart failure

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

• Consumption of 1-10% of animal’s bodyweight over a period or in one feeding
• 10-100 lb plant material in a 1,000 lb cow