Genista tinctoria
| Genista tinctoria | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 2 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Genista tinctoria (common name: dyer's greenweed)
Propagation: The seed requires a period of cold stratification and is best sown autumn in a cold frame. Pre-soak stored seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow February in a cold frame. Good germination[1]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Roots are formed in the spring[2].
Cuttings of ripe wood, 5 - 10 cm with a heel, September/October in a frame. Good percentage. Plant out the following autumn[1].
Cultivation: Easily grown in a light well-drained soil in a sunny position[3][2]. Prefers a rather dry soil, tolerating poor and sandy soils[4]. Prefers a lime-free soil[5]. Succeeds in acid or basic soils.
A very cold-tolerant plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -35°c[6].
Resents root disturbance and should only be transplanted whilst young[2][7].
Sometimes cultivated as a dye plant, it is usually treated as a biennial for this purpose, the whole plant being harvested in the second year[8].
Plants do not require pruning, but they can be cut back as required once they have finished flowering in order to maintain shape[4].
Polymorphic, a number of named forms have been developed for their ornamental value[9].
A good bee plant[10]. Rabbits love eating this plant[7][K]. Cows also eat the plant, but it taints their milk[11].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[6].
Range: Europe, including Britain, from Norway to the Mediterranean, east to the Urals, Caucasus and W. Asia
Habitat: Meadows, pastures, heaths and the edges of fields[11], especially on poor soils[2].
Edibility: The seed has been suggested as a possible coffee substitute[12][13].
The flower buds are pickled and used as a substitute for capers[14][13]. Used as a vegetable[15].
Medicinal: The twigs, leaves and flowering stems are cathartic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, stimulant and vasoconstrictor[11][16][17][18]. The seeds are also sometimes used[11]. The plant is harvested in early summer as it comes into flower and can be dried for later use[16]. It should not be stored for more than 12 months since its active ingredients break down[4].
The powdered seeds act as a mild purgative and were at one time used to make a plaster for broken limbs[5].
A decoction of the whole plant has been used as a remedy for dropsy, rheumatism and gout[11][16][5].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh shoots[16]. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism[16].
Usage: A very good quality yellow dye is obtained from the whole plant, but especially from the flowers and young shoots[11][16][2][19][20][8][7][5]. It produces a very good quality green when mixed with woad (Isatis tinctoria)[2][4]. Alum, cream of tartar and sulphate of lime are used to fix the colour[11]. The stems can be dried and stored until the dye is required[7].
A fibre obtained from the stems is used for coarse cloth and cordage[11][7].
Plants can be used as a ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way[21]. The cultivar 'Flore Pleno' is always dwarf and is more reliable than the species[21].
Pollinators: Bees, self
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Phillips, Roger. Herbs. Pan Books, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Buchanan, Rita. A Weavers Garden.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Carruthers, S. Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading, 1986.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Schery. Robert. Plants for Man. Prentice Hall, 1972.
- ↑ Freethy, Ron. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press, 1985.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.