Anchusa officinalis
| Anchusa officinalis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Anchusa officinalis (common name: alkanet)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in pots of sandy soil[1]. An overnight drop in temperature helps germination[2]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 4 weeks at 21°c[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
The seed can also be sown in an outdoor seed bed during July, transplanting the plants to their final positions during early autumn[3]. These plants will grow larger and flower earlier than those sown in spring.
Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils, preferring a sunny position[4]. Prefers a fertile well-drained soil[5].
The flowers are a rich source of nectar and are very attractive to bees[4].
The dry leaves emit a rich musky fragrance, rather like wild strawberry leaves drying.
Range: Europe to W. Asia. An introduced casual in Britain[6].
Habitat: Roadsides, pastures and waste ground, preferring warmer areas[7][8].
Edibility: Leaves and young shoots - cooked[7][9][10]. Used like spinach[11][12].
Flowers - cooked or used as a garnish[12].
The red dye obtained from the roots can be used to colour oils and fats[13].
Medicinal: All parts of the plant are demulcent and expectorant[7]. They are used externally to treat cuts, bruises and phlebitis and internally to treat coughs and bronchial catarrh[7].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[7]. It is used in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers[7].
Usage: A red dye is obtained from the roots[8].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan, 1987.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Sowerby, John. The Useful Plants of Great Britain. 1862.
- ↑ Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.