Daphne mezereum
| Daphne mezereum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Width: | 5' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Late Winter-Early Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Daphne mezereum (common name: mezereon)
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.
Layering.
Cultivation: A good sandy loam suits most members of this genus[2]. Prefers a good heavy soil and some shade[3][4]. Prefers a calcareous soil[5][6][7] and cool moist conditions[2][4]. There is no evidence to suggest it requires a calcareous soil, but all members of this genus do well on acid soils[2].
A very ornamental plant[8], it is hardy to about -30°c[9].
Plants tend to be short-lived in cultivation, probably due to excessive seed bearing[2][10].
Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible[11]. They also resent being cut and so should not be pruned unless it is essential[12].
A good bee plant, providing a source of nectar very early in the year[13]. The flowers have a delicious sweet perfume[12].
Range: Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia to Spain, east to Macedonia and temperate Asia.
Habitat: Damp deciduous mixed woodlands and on rich calcareous soils[14][6][15].
Medicinal: Mezereum has been used in the past for treating rheumatism and indolent ulcers, but because of its toxic nature it is no longer considered to be safe[16]. The plant contains various toxic compounds, including daphnetoxin and mezerein, and these are currently being investigated (1995) for their anti-leukaemia effects[16][17].
The bark is cathartic, diuretic, emetic, rubefacient, stimulant and vesicant[18][14][19][20][21]. The root bark is the most active medically, but the stem bark is also used[18]. It has been used in an ointment to induce discharge in indolent ulcers[18] and also has a beneficial effect upon rheumatic joints[17]. The bark is not usually taken internally and even when used externally this should be done with extreme caution and not applied if the skin is broken[18][20][17]. The bark is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[14].
The fruits have sometimes been used as a purgative[18].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[14]. It is used in the treatment of various skin complaints and inflammations[14][19].
Usage: A yellow to greenish-brown dye is obtained from the leaves, fruit and bark[5].
The seed contains up to 31% of a fatty oil[22]. No further details are given.
Pollinators: Bees, flies, lepidoptera, self
Soil: Can grow in medium and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Early Summer-Late Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: All parts of the plant are highly toxic[14][23][7][24]. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in some people[24][10].
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Brown, George. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Arnold-Forster, William. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Stary, Frantisek. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn, 1983.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association, 1981.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Altmann, Horst. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus, 1980.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.