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Mertensia ciliata

Common name:	Mountain Bell	Family:	Boraginaceae
Author:	(James.)G.Don.	Botanical references:	60, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	South-western N. America - Oregon to New Mexico.
Habitat:	Streambanks, wet meadows, damp thickets and wet cliffs from the foothills to high elevations in the mountains[60, 172].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Bluebells, Mountain [S], Mountain Bluebells [S,P], Tall Fringe Bluebells [B],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	ciliata = fringed with hairs;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Lamiales. Borage family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.8m by 0.3m . It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from May to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 1/5 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, Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Flowers; Leaves.

Flowers - raw[172].
Leaves - raw or cooked[172]. The leaves are rather hairy and are not so nice when eaten raw[172].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antipruritic; Galactogogue.

The plant is galactogogue[257]. An infusion has been used to increase the milk flow of nursing mothers[257].
An infusion of the powdered root has been used to relieve the itching caused by smallpox and measles[257].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Easily grown in an ordinary garden soil with some shade[1, 111]. Requires a moist peaty soil in full sun or light shade[187].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[187].
A very ornamental plant[1].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[1, 200]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. Protect from direct sunlight[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division, with care, in early spring or autumn[200].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[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.
[S] Image from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for mertensia ciliata (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

References for the family Boraginaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

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

References

[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]).

[60] Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955
A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.

[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.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[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.

[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.

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Bibliography

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?Mertensia+ciliata
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