Veratrum viride

Veratrum viride (Indian Poke, Indian Hellebore, False Hellebore, Green False Hellebore) is a species of Veratrum native to eastern and western (but not central) North America. It is extremely toxic, and is considered a pest plant by farmers with livestock. The species has acquired a large number of common names within its native range, including American False Hellebore, American White Hellebore, Bear Corn, Big Hellebore, Corn Lily, Devils Bite, Duck Retten, Indian Hellebore, Itch-weed, Itchweed, Poor Annie, Blue Hellebore, and Tickleweed. It is a herbaceous perennial plant reaching 0.7-2 meter tall, with a solid green stem. The leaves are spirally arranged, 10-35 centimeter long and 5-20 centimeter broad, elliptic to broad lance-shaped ending in a short point, heavily ribbed and hairy on the underside. The flowers are numerous, produced in a large branched flower cluster 30-70 centimeter tall; each flower is 5-12 millimeter long, with six green to yellow-green petals. The fruit is a capsule 1.5-3 centimeter long, which splits into three sections at maturity to release the numerous flat 8-10 millimeter diameter seeds. The plant reproduces through rhizome growth as well as seeds.