Apocynum venetum
| Apocynum venetum | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Apocynum venetum
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in late summer and overwintered outdoors. The seed requires a period of cold stratification if it is to germinate well[1]. Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting out in late spring of the following year[K].
Division in spring just before active growth begins[2]. Plants can also be divided in the autumn[1].
Cultivation: Succeeds in sun or shade in most well-drained but moisture-retentive soils[3][2].
Plants can be invasive[2].
The flowers are attractive to bees.
Range: S. Europe. N. Africa - Syria.
Habitat: Swamps, wet places and maritime sands[3][4].
Medicinal: The leaves or the whole herb is cardiotonic, diuretic and hypotensive[5][6]. It is used in the treatment of hypertensive headache, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, oliguria and nephritic oedema[5]. It increases the renal blood flow and can be used for renal and cardiac oedema and ascites of liver cirrhosis[5].
Usage: The bark yields a fibre that is used for making twine, bags, linen etc[7][8]. It can be harvested after the leaves fall in autumn but is probably at its best as the seed pods are forming[9].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: All parts of the plant are poisonous[3][10].
Also Known As: A. sibiricum. Trachomitum venetum. (L.)Woodson.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Yeung, Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1985.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Buchanan, Rita. A Weavers Garden.
- ↑ Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.