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Eupatorium cannabinum
| Common name: |
Hemp Agrimony |
Family: |
Compositae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
17, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa, western and central Asia. |
| Habitat: |
By streams, in low damp sites and in woods, avoiding acid soils[7, 13]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
0 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Boneset [H], Common Dutch Agrimony [H], Common Hemp Agrimony [H], Eupatorio [E], Gravel Root [H], Hemp Agrimony [H,P], Hemp-agrimony [B,L], Hindheal [E], Holy Rope [H], Khad Al Bint [E], Koninginnenkruid [D], Koyunpitragi [E], Linwe Di Tchet [E], St John's Herb [H], Water Agrimony [H], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
cannabinum = hemp like;
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Asterales. Renamed to Asteraceae -- Aster family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Belgium; Britain; Hungary; Indochina; Iraq; Spain; Turkey
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA
PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: Northen Territory (Aust). |
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 1.5m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles and Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).
The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
We rate it 0/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist or wet soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Bog Garden, Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Alterative; Antitumor; Cholagogue; Depurative; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emetic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Homeopathy; Laxative; Purgative; Tonic.
Hemp agrimony has been employed chiefly as a detoxifying herb for
fevers, colds, flu and other viral conditions. It also stimulates the removal
of waste products via the kidneys[254]. Due to its content of alkaloids, the
plant should only be used under professional supervision[254].
The leaves and flowering tops are alterative, cholagogue, depurative,
diuretic, emetic, expectorant, febrifuge, purgative and tonic[4, 7, 9, 21,
46, 238]. The plant has a long history of use as a gentle laxative that does
not provoke irritation[7], though excessive doses cause purging and
vomiting[238]. A tea made from the dried leaves will give prompt relief if
taken at the onset of influenza[4]. Recent research has shown that the plant
might have anti-tumour activity, though the plant also contains pyrrolizidine
alkaloids that can cause damage or cancer to the liver[238]. The plant is
harvested in the summer and dried for later use[7].
The roots are diaphoretic, laxative and tonic[7]. They are harvested in the
autumn and dried for later use[238].
Recently the plant has been found of use as an immune system stimulant,
helping to maintain resistance to acute viral and other infections[254].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves[4]. It is used in the treatment
of influenza and feverish chills[4] and also for disorders of the liver,
spleen and gall bladder[9].
Other Uses
Preservative; Repellent.
The leaves have been laid on bread in order to prevent it from becoming
mouldy[4].
The leaf juice has been rubbed onto the coats of animals as an insect
repellent[7].
Cultivation details
An easily grown plant[233], it succeeds in ordinary garden soil in sun
or part shade[200]. Prefers a rich moist soil[187]. Grows well in marshy
soils[21].
Plants are hardy to about -25°c[187].
A very ornamental plant[1], it has a pleasant aromatic smell when cut[4].
Often found as a weed in British gardens, it can be allowed to naturalize in
short grass in the wild garden[233].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[233].
An excellent bee and butterfly plant[24, 108].
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. Prick
out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle
and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
If you have sufficient seed it can be sown outdoors in situ.
Division in spring or autumn[111]. Very easy, the clumps can be replanted
direct into their permanent positions.
Scent
-
Plant: Crushed
- All parts of the plant have a strong resinous smell when bruised. This has been likened to the smell of cedar when it is burnt.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for eupatorium cannabinum (a possible synonym).
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[24] Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.
Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[108] International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981
The title says it all.
[111] Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926
A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
Readers Comments
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Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Eupatorium+cannabinum
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Eupatorium+cannabinum
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