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Grindelia humilis

Common name:	Hairy Gumweed	Family:	Compositae
Author:	Hook.& Arn.	Botanical references:	71, 200
Synonyms:	Grindelia cuneifolia
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Western N. America.
Habitat:	Coastal salt marshes[71].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	G. hirsutula ssp. rubricaulis[B,P] G. hirsutula var. hirsutula[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Grindelia [E], Hairy Gumweed [P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	humilis = low growing
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Asterales. Renamed to Asteraceae -- Aster family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1.5m. It is hardy to zone 8. It is in flower from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Expectorant Homeopathy Sedative Skin.

The dried leaves and flowering tops are antiasthmatic, expectorant and sedative[4]. The principal use of this herb is in the treatment of bronchial catarrh, especially when there is an asthmatic tendency[4]. The active principle is excreted from the kidneys, and this sometimes produces signs of renal irritation[4].
The plant has been used in the treatment of itching skin eruptions caused by contact with poison oak (Rhus spp.)[257].
A homeopathic remedy is prepared from the leaves and flowering stems[4].

Other Uses

Dye.

Yellow and green dyes are obtained from the flowering heads and pods. Aromatic.

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in full sun[200]. Does well on dry sandy banks and in poor soils[200].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10° c[200].
There is some confusion over the correct name for this species. The report on medicinal uses in [4] relates to G. cuniefolia, a name that has been used by two authors. G. cuniefolia. non Nutt. is said to be a synonym of G. humilis and so the entry has been made here.

Propagation

Seed - sow autumn or spring in a cool greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Prick out the plants into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.

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]
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Grindelia cuneifolia (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for Grindelia hirsutula var. hirsutula (a possible synonym).

[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.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[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.

[71] Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959
An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.

[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.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

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?Grindelia+humilis
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Grindelia+humilis

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.