Saururus cernuus
| Saururus cernuus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Saururus cernuus (common name: swamp lily)
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early autumn. Sow stored seed in late winter or early spring. Keep the pots moist by standing them in shallow water[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring[2][1]. The plants spread freely and division is possible at almost any time in the growing season. Divisions taken in mid to late summer should be overwintered in pots in a cold frame and then be planted out in late spring. Regular division maintains the vigour of the plant[1].
Cultivation: This is a plant for a boggy area of the garden, it is able to withstand temporary flooding[3]. It prefers a loamy soil[2] growing well in pond margins though it spreads vigorously[3]. It can succeed in damp sites in the woodland as well as in the bog garden[1]. Prefers a position in full sun but tolerates some shade[4].
Plants are fairly cold tolerant, but are best given a protective mulch in the winter[3].
The flowers are fragrant[5].
Range: Eastern N. America - Rhode Island to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota.
Habitat: Swamps and shallow water[6].
Medicinal: Sedative[7].
An infusion of the roots has been used as a wash in the treatment of rheumatism[8]. The root is roasted then mashed and made into a poultice to treat sore breasts[9][10][8]. A boiled extract of the roots is used as a poultice to heal flesh wounds[5].
The dried leaves can be made into a tea and drunk for the treatment of back and breast pains[9], it is also used in treating stomach ailments[10].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Muhlberg, Helmut. Complete Guide to Water Plants. Sterling Publishing, 1982.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.