Oenanthe sarmentosa
| Oenanthe sarmentosa | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Oenanthe sarmentosa (common name: water dropwort)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring or autumn. Large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation: Requires a moist or wet fertile soil in a sunny position.
Plants have a weak straggling growth habit[1].
Range: Western N. America - British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Low wet places[1].
Edibility: Root - cooked[2][3]. A sweet farinaceous flesh, the root is highly esteemed in the areas where it is eaten[4][5][6]. A cream-like taste when boiled with a slight parsley flavour[6]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Young stem - raw or cooked[7][8].
Medicinal: The roots are emetic and purgative[8]. The roots have been crushed then swallowed by a pregnant woman in order to facilitate and speed up delivery[8].
Usage: Whistles can be made from the hollow stems[7][8].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus that contains a number of very poisonous plants and so some caution is advised. It is said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine[9].
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hitchcock, Leo. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, 1955.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gunther, Erna. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press, 1981.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.