How to identify rabbit smoke in the wild
As a bio-regional herbalist, one of the most rewarding parts of my journey has been learning how to recognize and identify the plants that grow naturally around me. Rabbit tobacco is no exception. When I first saw it in my meadow, I wanted to be sure I could confidently identify it myself.
Rabbit tobacco is a relatively easy plant to spot if you know what to look for. Is a member of aster family and tends to grow in dry, open areas – fields, meadows, roadsides and even old, disturbed fields. One of the main characteristics is its height. Rabbit tobacco can grow up to three meters tall and its stems are often covered in a silvery, cloudy coating, giving it a somewhat muted appearance compared to other plants.
The leaves are long and narrow (1-3 inches long) and have a distinctive silver-green color on top, while the undersides are covered with soft, woolly hairs. The leaves tend to feel a bit dry and papery, almost as if they are brittle, even when fresh. This unique structure makes it easy to recognize once you've handled it.
One of the things that helped me most in identifying rabbit tobacco was paying attention to the flowers. They appear from late summer to early fall and are quite small, with a yellow center and white papery bracts that form clusters at the top of the plant. These flowers have a dry, eternal quality, which is why rabbit tobacco is sometimes called “everlasting sweet” or “eternal life.”
An easy way to make sure you've found rabbit tobacco is by its scent, especially after rain. The dried flowers and leaves give off a distinctive, warm aroma that some describe as slightly sweet, even a little like maple syrup. This aroma is a telltale sign that you have found the right plant. Once you get to know its unique appearance and aroma, rabbit tobacco becomes much easier to spot in the wild.
