Daphne laureola
| Daphne laureola | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Winter-Mid Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Daphne laureola (common name: spurge laurel)
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe with the pot sealed in a polythene bag to hold in the moisture. Remove this bag as soon as germination takes place[1]. The seed usually germinates better if it is harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it dries on the plant) and sown immediately. Germination should normally take place by spring, though it sometimes takes a further year. Stored seed is more problematic. It should be warm stratified for 8 - 12 weeks at 20°c followed by 12 - 14 weeks at 3°c. Germination may still take another 12 months or more at 15°c[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first winter and then plant out in spring after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Cultivation: Prefers a moist soil and a position in semi-shade, growing well in woodlands[2]. Plants are often found growing in dense shade in the wild[3]. A good sandy loam suits most members of this genus[2].
Flowers are produced towards the ends of the previous year's growth[2]. They are sweetly scented[3].
Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible[4].
Range: Western and southern Europe, from Britain and Belgium to Spain and Macedonia, N. Africa, W. Asia.
Habitat: Woods, mainly on calcareous soils, where it is widespread and rather common[5].
Medicinal: The leaves have been used as an emmenagogue, though they can cause purging and vomiting[6]. Both the leaves and the bark have been used to procure abortions[6].
The plant contains various toxic compounds and these are currently being investigated (1995) for anti-leukaemia effects[7].
Pollinators: Bees, lepidoptera
Soil: Can grow in medium and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: All parts of the plant are poisonous[8]. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in some people[9][8].
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.