Plant Rant: Beggar’s Lice

This particular plant is likely one you've complained about before. It’s nearly impossible to take an autumn stroll in the woods without its seeds attaching themselves to you.

Hackelia virginiana, known by various common names like beggar's lice, sticktight, or stickseed, possesses triangular seedpods covered in dense hairs that make them adhere to nearly anything. Some intriguing trivia about this plant includes its historical use in making tea for kidney conditions and memory enhancement, as well as its role in love charms. Additionally, the crushed roots were blended with bear oil to treat skin cancers.

Submitted by naturalist Cathy Wesley, October 2023