Leucothoe axillaris
| Leucothoe axillaris | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 6' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Leucothoe axillaris (common name: coastal doghobble)
Propagation: Seed - sow late winter in a shady part of the greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination is variable. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade 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.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, August in a frame. Fair to good percentage[1].
Layering in autumn. Takes 12 months. Very high percentage[1].
Cultivation: Requires a lime-free well-drained humus-rich soil and some shade[2][3][4].
Plants are not very successful in Britain[2]. One report says they are not very hardy in Britain, succeeding outdoors only in the milder areas of the country, whilst another says that they are hardy to zone 6, which means tolerating temperatures down to -15° or lower[4].
The flowers are strongly fragrant[5].
This species is often confused with L. fontanesiana[3].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].
Range: South-eastern N. America - Virginia to Florida and Alabama.
Habitat: Moist woods near the coast[6].
Medicinal: Promotes the discharge of mucus from the nose[7].
An infusion of the leaf is taken internally and also used as a wash in the treatment of rheumatism[8].
n infusion of the leaves and stems has been used to bathe itchy skin[8].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, at least one other member of this genus is said to have poisonous fruits[9].
Also Known As: L. catesbaei.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.