INDIAN HEMP (DOGBANE)

INDIAN HEMP (DOGBANE)

Apocynum cannabinum (dogbane, amy root, hemp dogbane, prairie dogbane, Indian hemp, rheumatism root, or wild cotton)

Hemp Dogbane stems have a tough, fibrous bark that can be used like hemp for making rope, nets, straps, and so on. Native Americans made nets and rope from the fibers of pounded stems and roots. People still use it for making rope and twine, and fabric for clothing.

The milky latex sap which can potentially be used for making rubber.

When bruised, all parts of the plant exude a toxic white juice; the plant has a long list of folkloric medicinal uses.

The toxic juices make this plant inedible to most mammals, but several types of moths eat this plant as caterpillars. They build up the toxin in their bodies and become unpalatable to predators. The delicate cycnia (Cycnia tenera), a tiger moth, is found wherever dogbane grows. Dogbane is also is a larval food plant for the snowberry and clearwings hummingbird, sphinx moths, as well as food for many other insects.

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