Pulsatilla pratensis
| Pulsatilla pratensis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Pulsatilla pratensis (common name: pasque flower)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early summer in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in about 2 - 3 weeks. Sow stored seed in late winter in a cold frame. Germination takes about 1 - 6 months at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in the spring.
Root cuttings, 4cm long taken in early winter, potted up in a mixture of peat and sand[1]. They can also be taken in July/August, planted vertically in pots in a greenhouse or frame. Some care is needed since the plant resents root disturbance[2].
Cultivation: Requires a well-drained humus rich gritty soil in a sunny position[2]. Tolerates alkaline soils[2]. Prefers lime[3]. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant[4].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[3].
Large plants transplant badly[2].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[5].
Range: C. and E. Europe.
Habitat: Open fields[6].
Medicinal: Considered by herbalists to be of highly valuable modern curative use as a herbal simple[7], the whole plant is alterative, antispasmodic, diaphoretic and nervine[7]. The plant is harvested soon after flowering and should be carefully preserved by drying[7]. It should not be stored for longer than 12 months before being used[7]. Use with caution, see notes above on toxicity.
The whole plant is used externally to treat ulcers and inflammations of the eyes[6].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the whole fresh plant, gathered when in flower[6]. It has a wide range of applications and is especially useful in the treatment of babies and children[6].
Usage: Plants can be grown to form a ground cover, they are best spaced about 30cm apart each way[8].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Summer-Mid Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The plant is slightly toxic, the toxins are dissipated by heat or by drying the plant[9].
Also Known As: Pulsatilla nigricans. Stork.
Links
References
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Focus on Plants Volume 5. Thompson and Morgan, 1991.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Castro, Miranda. The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. Macmillan, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.