Polymnia uvedalia
| Polymnia uvedalia | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 9' |
| Blooms: | Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Polymnia uvedalia (common name: bearsfoot)
Propagation: Seed - sow late winter in a warm greenhouse[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away well.
Division in spring.
Basal cuttings in the spring. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation: Requires a warm position in a deep rich soil[1].
Range: Eastern N. America - New York to Indiana, Tennessee, Florida and Texas.
Habitat: Rich woods and thickets[2].
Medicinal: Bearsfoot root was used by the North American Indians as a stimulant and laxative remedy[3]. It is perhaps best known for its use as a hair tonic whilst the root is also taken internally as a treatment for non-malignant swollen glands and especially for mastitis[3].
The root is anodyne, laxative and stimulant[4][5]. The root is said to have a beneficial effect on the liver, stomach and spleen and may be taken to relieve indigestion and counteract liver malfunction[3]. It is said to be of great use when applied externally to stimulate hair growth and is an ingredient of many hair lotions and ointments[4]. A poultice of the bruised root has been used as a dressing and salve on burns, inflammations and cuts[6].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Smallanthus uvedalia. (L.)MacKenzie. ex Small.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.