Conyza canadensis
| Conyza canadensis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 6.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Conyza canadensis (common name: canada fleabane)
Propagation: Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in spring in situ. An autumn sowing in situ might also be worthwhile.
Cultivation: Prefers a well-drained light or medium neutral to alkaline soil in a sunny position, though it tolerates most conditions[1].
Originally from N. America, Canada fleabane has become naturalized in many areas of the world and is considered to be a nuisance weed in many areas[2]. The plant is very adaptable to differing conditions and can vary dramatically in height, from only a few centimetres in poor soils to as much as 3 metres tall in rich soils[3].
The plant is used commercially as a food flavouring[4].
A good bee plant[5] but unfortunately it also harbours various insect pests such as the tarnished plant bug[6].
Range: N. America. Naturalized in Britain[7].
Habitat: Light soils on waste and cultivated land, also on walls, avoiding acid soils in Britain[7].
Edibility: Young leaves and seedlings - cooked[8][9]. Boiled, cooked in rice or dried for later use[4]. A nutritional analysis of the leaves is available[10].
The source of an essential oil that is used commercially for flavouring sweets, condiments and soft drinks[4]. The fresh leaves contain 0.2 - 0.66% essential oil[10].
Medicinal: In traditional North American herbal medicine, Canada fleabane was boiled to make steam for sweat lodges, taken as a snuff to stimulate sneezing during the course of a cold and burned to create a smoke that warded off insects[11]. Nowadays it is valued most for its astringency, being used in the treatment of gastro-intestinal problems such as diarrhoea and dysentery[11]. It is said to be a very effective treatment for bleeding haemorrhoids[11].
The whole plant is antirheumatic, astringent, balsamic, diuretic, emmenagogue, styptic, tonic and vermifuge[12][13][14][15][16]. It can be harvested at any time that it is in flower and is best used when fresh[12][17][1]. The dried herb should not be stored for more than a year[1]. The seeds can also be used[12].
An infusion of the plant has been used to treat diarrhoea and internal haemorrhages[3] or applied externally to treat gonorrhoea[3] and bleeding piles[13]. The leaves are experimentally hypoglycaemic[10].
The essential oil found in the leaves is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery and internal haemorrhages[12][17][10]. It is a uterine stimulant[3] and is also said to be valuable in the treatment of inflamed tonsils plus ulceration and inflammation of the throat[12].
A tea of the boiled roots is used to treat menstrual irregularities[3].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[14]. It is used in the treatment of haemorrhoids and painful menstruation[14].
Usage: The plant contains small quantities of essential oil[13]. Since the plant is readily obtainable, extraction of the oil is feasible - it has a special quality that would make it suitable in the making of perfumes with unusual nuances[13][18].
Pollinators: Bees, flies
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Skin contact with the plant can cause dermatitis in some people[16].
Also Known As: Erigeron canadensis.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Weiner, Michael. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books, 1980.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.