Medicinal Monday...Indian Tobacco

Although not as showy as its red relative, Lobelia Cardinalis, Indian Tobacco was used in a variety of ways by Native Americans. It got its moniker because it has been documented that many Native Americans used its leaves for smoking, sometimes by itself, and at other times mixed with other plants. Indian Tobacco is native to New England and extends west to Oklahoma.

photo credit Cathie Bird

About Indian Tobacco

One of the characteristics of this plant is its irregular white to purple tubular flowers that grow on the upper part of the plant between leaf axils. The flower has a yellow base with tufts of white hair and the flowers have five narrow prong-like lobes. The leaves are toothed and hairy with pointed tips. There isn't much stem, but what there is, the stem is hairy. The fruit of the flower is an inflated globe-like capsule which gives this plant its Latin name, Lobelia inflata. Inside the globe are numerous gold-colored seeds covered by a network of ridges. Indian Tobacco can be found on ledges, cliffs, meadows, fields, and along the banks of rivers and lakes. 

photo credit Josh Graciano

Medicinal Uses

Traditionally, the most common use of this plant medicinally was to treat respiratory and skin issues. The leaves were chewed to treat sore throats and they were also smoked to treat asthma. It was also used as a purgative and as a ceremonial medicine. Many Native American communities would burn the leaves as an insecticide. Specifically, the Cherokee made a poultice from the roots and applied the mixture to sore muscles, bites, stings, boils, and sores. The Iroquois made a cold infusion of the plant and took it as a physic. They also drank an infusion made from this plant to induce vomiting and to beat the whiskey habit. The Iroquois also used the smashed roots to treat earaches and venereal disease sores. 

photo Gilles Ayotte

Did You Know...

This plant was once in its own Lobeliaceae family, then moved to the Campanulaceae family, however, it has been moved back to the Lobeliaceae or Bellflower family.

It was used by doctors in the 19th century to induce vomiting, giving it another name, the Puke Plant! 

The Iroquois made a decoction of Indian Tobacco to counteract the sickness caused by witchcraft.

Today this plant is considered to be potentially a toxic herb according to Mount Sinai with moderate to large doses causing side effects such as convulsions, nausea, tremors, rapid heartbeat, and even coma.