Alson called Dogbane, it's a  bushy member of the milkweed family that features stiff stems with terminal clusters of very tiny, fragrant, whitish flowers that bloom in summer. All parts of this dogbane exude a milky juice when bruised. Although this plant is considered toxic to humans (and the bane of dogs), the roots were commonly harvested in the 19th and early 20th centuries for a variety of folk medicine.