Clematis ligusticifolia, also known as Old-man's Beard, Pepper Vine, Western Clematis, Western Virgin's Bower, Western White Clematis, and Yerba De Chiva, is a beautiful climbing vine native to North America. Its showy white flowers bloom in late summer and it can be found in streamside thickets, wooded hillsides, and coniferous forests up to 4,000 feet. Early travelers and pioneers of the American Old West used it as a pepper substitute to spice up food, since real black pepper was costly and seldom available. However, its essential oils and compounds are extremely irritating to skin and mucous membrames, and can cause internal bleeding of the digestive tract if ingested in large quantities. Infusions made from this plant were used medicinally by Native Americans to treat skin eruptions, colds, sore throats, stomachaches, and cramps. Despite its toxicity, Clematis ligusticifolia is a stunning vine that will make an excellent addition to any garden.