Senecio vulgaris
| Senecio vulgaris | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Width: | 0.5' |
| Blooms: | Mid Winter-Early Winter |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Senecio vulgaris (common name: groundsel)
Propagation: Seed - it doesn't need any encouragement from us.
Cultivation: A common weed of cultivated land, it does not require cultivation.
Groundsel is a good food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species, and is one of only two species that provide food for cinnabar moth caterpillars.
One report states that this plant was formerly cultivated as a food crop for livestock[1]! Since the plant is a cumulative toxin this use is most questionable.
Range: Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandanavia to N. Africa and temperate Asia.
Habitat: Found along roadsides and waste places, it is also a common weed of cultivated land, succeeding on most soils but avoiding shade[2][3][4].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked or raw[2][5]. The young leaves have been used in many areas as a salad, though this is very inadvisable, see the notes on toxicity at the top of the page[2].
Medicinal: Groundsel has a long history of herbal use and, although not an officinal plant, it is still often used by herbalists[6]. The whole herb is anthelmintic, antiscorbutic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue and purgative[6][3][7][1]. It is often used as a poultice and is said to be useful in treating sickness of the stomach, whilst a weak infusion is used as a simple and easy purgative[6]. The plant can be harvested in May and dried for later use, or the fresh juice can be extracted and used as required[6]. Use with caution[7]. This plant should not be used by pregnant women[2], see also the notes above on toxicity.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[3]. It is used in the treatment of menstrual disorders and nose bleeds[3].
Pollinators: Insects, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Mid Winter-Early Winter
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: All parts of the plant are poisonous to many mammals, including humans. The toxin affects the liver and has a cumulative affect[3][8]. Some mammals, such as rabbits, do not seem to be harmed by the plant, and will often seek it out[6]. Various birds also
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.