Daphne oleoides
| Daphne oleoides | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Daphne oleoides
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 cool lime-free well-drained friable soil[2]. Plants are usually calcicole and require an acid soil[3]. Survives in any well-fed and well-drained soil in sun or part shade according to one report which also says that it is a reliable plant in most parts of the country[4].
This species is not very hardy outside the mildest areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c[5].
Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible[6].
The flowers have a clove-like perfume[7].
Range: S. Europe, N. Africa and W. Asia to the Himalayas.
Habitat: Dry open slopes in Kashmir, 1700 - 2300 metres[8].
Edibility: There is a report that the fruit is eaten, but this report then goes on to say that they cause nausea and vomiting[9]. There is also a report that they can be distilled to make an alcoholic drink[9].
Medicinal: The roots are purgative[10][11][12].
An infusion of the bark and leaves are used in the treatment of cutaneous affections[12]. The leaves are also used in the treatment of gonorrhoea and are applied to abscesses[12].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, 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[5]. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in some people[13][5].
Also Known As: D. buxifolia. Sibth.&Smith. D. glandulosa. D. jasminea. non Sibth.&Smith. D. lucida.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 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.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.