Consider-the-Lilies Web Gallery
Dogbane
Usually it is the abundance or beauty of the flowers that will draw my attention to a new plant. But Dogbane or Indian Hemp does not present the impressive growth and numerous flowers of, say, its cousin and neighbor in this image, Milkweed. But this useful plant has other assets that more than make it of interest, I believe.
First,
is because of its association with the tiny Dogbane
Beetle. It was this little jewel of an insect that led me to take a closer look at this plant.
Then, second, having been drawn to do some considering because of the beetle, I learned this plant has an interesting history. As you would expect, the common name, Dogbane, originated in the belief that the plant is toxic or "poisonous to dogs." The scientific prefix carries the same message: Apocynum means "Away, dog!" The botanical suffix, cannabinum, means "like hemp," in reference to the strong cordage that was made by weaving together the stem's long fibers.
I was interested to find, as one historian tells us, that fibers found in the stem of this plant were rolled together by Indians to make a thread stronger than cotton; three strands plaited together made a bowstring. At other times, strands were woven together to create rabbit nets for use in communal hunts. Because of their familiarity with its utilization for these purposes, the Virginia colonists called the plant "Indian hemp," which name is still used elsewhere for this plant, including Wisconsin, I have learned, to distinguish it from the Spreading Dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) found in that area.
So beautiful flowers are not the only measure of a plant's worth!
Go to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.