Cunila origanoides
| Cunila origanoides | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Cunila origanoides (common name: stone mint)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame[1]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring[1].
Basal cuttings in late spring or early summer[1]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, succeeding in a variety of soil types[1]. It thrives in dry soils, preferably of a sandy well-drained nature, preferring a position in full sun[1].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[1].
The plant has aromatic foliage and the flowers are a good source of nectar for bees[1].
Range: Eastern N. America - New York to Florida, west to Texas and Illinois.
Habitat: Dry open woods and thickets[2][3].
Edibility: The fresh or dried leaves can be used to make a tea. A pleasant mint-like flavour[4].
Medicinal: An essential oil, known as cunila oil, obtained from the plant is antiseptic, aromatic and stimulant[5][1][3].
A tea made from the leaves is used to treat headaches, colds and fevers[6][7]. It is believed to induce menstruation and perspiration[2].
Usage: An essential oil, called 'Oil of Dittany' is extracted from this plant. It has medicinal properties and is valued as an antiseptic[1].
A bunch of the plant can be used to repel insects, it is effective against horseflies[6].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: C. mariana. L.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.