Convolvulus scammonia
| Convolvulus scammonia | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 6.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Convolvulus scammonia (common name: scammony)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[1]. Germination can be slow and erratic, a period of cold stratification might help reduce the germination period. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring.
Cuttings of young shoots, August in a frame in sand[2].
Cultivation: Prefers a light basic sharply drained soil of low to medium fertility[3][4]. Prefers a sunny sheltered position. Thrives in dry soils[3] and succeeds in ordinary garden soils.
The root can be up to 1.2 metres long, so for best results a deep soil is required[3].
Range: Europe - Mediterranean, to W. Asia.
Habitat: Scrub and forest margins[5].
Medicinal: A resin is obtained from the root. The earth is cleared away from the top of the root, the top is then cut off obliquely about 5cm below the point where the stalks spring forth. The exuding juice is collected, which gradually hardens[3]. This resin is a drastic cathartic and hydrogogue and should be used with great caution[3][6][7]. The roots contain about 8% resin[8].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, self
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.