Common Names
Whitetube stargrass, ague grass, ague horn, agueroot, aletris root, aloe, aloeroot, backache root, blazing star, colicroot, crow corn, devil’s bit, false unicorn root, huskwood, huskwort, mealy starwort, rheumatism root, stargrass, starwort, true unicorn root, unicorn’s horns, unicorn plant, unicorn root, white colicroot.

Description
A perennial with wide, grass-like leaves spreading in a flat rosette around the base of a spike-like stem. White to yellow tubular flowers are arranged along the stem. Flowers have 6 lobes. Plant has a short thick root or rhizome.

Flowering Period
May to July.

Habitat
Moist locations in woods and meadows.

Harvest
Rhizomes and roots in fall.

Uses
The rhizomes and roots are reported to have therapeutic use as a diuretic tonic and sedative. The plant is known as colicroot because it has been used to treat colic, and ague root because of its value in treating rheumatism, often called ague in Colonial times. In Appalachia a mixture of roots and brandy or whisky is drunk as a treatment for rheumatism.