All of the Pedicularis' are tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, powerful aphrodesiacs, and sedatives. They are often employed medicinally for muscle pain and tension, particularly back pain. Pedicularis are also used for their psychological effects, good for anger, fear, pain, anxiety. At least one Native American tribe is known to smoke the flowers of certain Pedicularis species for their medicinal effects and narcotic effects. These plants are a welcome addition to any smoking mixture both as flavor and a narcotic. Elephant's Head is claimed to have the best flavor but is the mildest, but every Pedicularis has an excellent taste. P. Densiflora being the most potent species.
Elephant's Head dries to beautiful red or purple buds with what appears to be red hairs. Indian Head dries into green buds that could easily confuse a local peace officer. The narcotic effects however are profoundly different. Pedicularis are somewhat rare plants found in mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Since they are semi-parasitic, supplementing its photosynthesis with thievery and are not at all easy to cultivate, these factors make them very rare in Ethnobotanical collections. Pedicularis groenlandica is also found in Labrador and Greenland and is rarely parasitic, like its name implies the flowers really do look like pink Elephant heads. Cheyenne Indians made it into a tea to break up a cough.