Cimicifuga foetida
| Cimicifuga foetida | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 5' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Cimicifuga foetida (common name: foetid bugbane)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[1]. Only just cover the seed. It germinates in 1 - 12 months or even longer at 15°c[2]. The seed does not store well and soon loses its viability[3], stored seed may germinate better if given 6 - 8 weeks warm stratification at 15°c and then 8 weeks cold stratification[2]. Prick out the young seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer[K].
Division in spring or autumn[1]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.
Cultivation: Prefers a moist humus rich soil and some shade[1][3]. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[4].
There is some confusion over the name of this species, C. foetida (Auct.) is given as a synonym for C. europaea Schipez (said to be native to E. Europe) whilst another authority cites C. europaea as a synonym of C. foetida. It is possible that entries under this species apply also (or instead) to C. europaea[5].
A very attractive plant, but the flowers and the green seed pods have an unusual, slightly unpleasant smell[6] that is reminiscent of decaying fish[7].
Range: E. Asia - C. Russia to Japan.
Habitat: Shrubberies and forest clearings on open humus-rich soils, to 4000 metres in the Himalayas[8][9]. Frequently found in fir forests in Kashmir[10].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked[11]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Medicinal: Foetid bugbane is an anti-infective herb that lowers fevers and reduces pain[12]. The root is analgesic, antibacterial, antiperiodic, antiviral, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, sedative, tonic[13][14][15][16][17][18]. It is used internally in the treatment of rheumatic complaints, coughs, colds, headaches, gum diseases and feverish infections such as measles[12][18]. The root is harvested in the autumn and used fresh or dried[12]. Use with caution[16], see the notes above on toxicity.
Usage: Both the growing and the dried plant is used as an insect repellent in Siberia[1][10][18].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it does belong to a family that contains a number of toxic species and at least one species in this genus is said to be mildly poisonous. Some caution is therefore advised.
Also Known As: C. europaea.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Coventry, B. Wild Flowers of Kashmir. Raithby, Lawrence and Co, 1923.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 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.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.