Senecio cineraria
| Senecio cineraria | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Senecio cineraria (common name: cineraria)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Overwinter in a cold frame and plant out in late spring.
Cuttings of mature wood, November in a greenhouse.
Division in spring.
Cultivation: Succeeds in a sunny position in most well-drained moderately fertile soils[1]. Requires a well-drained sandy soil[2]. Established plants are drought resistant[3]. Plants are fairly tolerant of maritime exposure[K].
A very ornamental plant, it is not fully hardy in the colder areas of Britain[4], tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[2].
Plants quickly become straggly if unpruned and also tend to be fairly short-lived and are best replaced every few years.
Range: S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat: Maritime cliffs in S.W. England[5], mainly on limestone[6].
Medicinal: The fresh juice of the leaves is ophthalmic. Applied to the eyes it has a mildly irritating effect that increases blood flow tot he area, helping to strengthen resistance and clear away infections[7]. One or two drops put into the eyes is said to be of use in removing cataracts and also in the treatment of conjunctivitis[8][9][10][7]. This remedy should only be used under the supervision of a trained practitioner[7].
The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are highly toxic to the liver so the plant should not be used internally[7].
Usage: The plant is very tolerant of maritime exposure and can be grown as a dwarf windbreak hedge. It is fairly slow growing, though, and apt to be short-lived[K].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are highly toxic to the liver, so the plant should not be used internally[7].
Also Known As: S. bicolor cineraria. (DC.)Chater. Cineraria maritima.
Links
References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ Taylor, Jane. The Milder Garden. Dent, 1990.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press, 1980.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.