Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is one of a group of plants in the carrot family known for clumps of pale green, prickly leaves, and spiny, spherical flowerheads. It has clusters of 16 to 31 tiny, silvery white globes radiating from a central point, growing atop sturdy 3-foot stems. The flowers are slow to develop and slow to fade, and they bloom from June to September. The clumps of stiff, narrow, prickly leaves resemble yucca leaves, except that they grow alternately along the stalk. Rattlesnake master needs full sun and is moderately drought tolerant, but the flowers will fade if the plant lacks adequate moisture. It attracts numerous small butterflies and bees.

There are two versions of how rattlesnake master got its common name. One stems from the traditional belief that its sap wards off rattlesnakes, and the other from lore describing dried seedheads of the plant used as rattles by Native Americans. It is found growing in the meadows and prairies of the east and central United States.