Common Dogbane

Apocynum cannabinum

Common dogbane can be found growing wild in fields, thickets, and streambanks throughout North America. The perennial plant’s stems are smooth, reddish, and swollen at the joints, exuding a milky sap if broken. Dogbane grows two to five feet in height, with opposite oval leaves. Clusters of small white or pale green flowers appear in summer, and the plant produces long, narrow seed pods late in the season (1). These eventually split open, sending a cloud of silky seeds into the wind.

Dogbane is poisonous to people and animals if ingested. Sap of the plant contains a number of cardiac glycosides, or compounds that have a direct effect on the heart muscle (2)(3). It is a powerful plant to work with, and Native American approached it cautiously and with great respect. It was used for both utilitarian and medicinal purposes. Fibrous dogbane stems were stripped and twisted into cord, nets, and thread, and the plant’s fibers are often considered as strong, if not stronger, than hemp (4).

Dogbane is mentioned in medicinal uses of many Native American groups, both as a heart tonic and diuretic and in small and precise doses as a purgative (5). However, the concentration needed to treat and the risk of overdose means that dogbane is not used in modern herbalism. Instead, it is an example of how historical and cultural use of a plant may not be safely continued as a living medicine.

Dogbane is a plant of contrasts. It yields a tough fiber, potent compounds, and delicate beauty in the wild. It is a reminder that strength and danger can be connected by a common root.

[1] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. “Apocynum cannabinum – Indianhemp, Common Dogbane.” https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=APCA

[2] Medscape. “Cardiac Glycoside Plant Poisoning: Practice Essentials.” https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/816781-overview

[3] U.S. Forest Service. “Fire Effects Information System – Apocynum cannabinum.” https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/apocan/all.html

[4] United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS). “Plant Guide: Apocynum cannabinum (Indian Hemp).” https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/cs_apca.pdf

[5] Natural Medicinal Herbs. “Indian Hemp (Apocynum cannabinum).” https://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/a/apocynum-cannabinum=indian-hemp.php