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Polygala vulgaris

Common name:	Milkwort	Family:	Polygalaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:	Polygala oxyptera (Rchb.)
Known Hazards:	Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, at least one member of this genus is said to be poisonous in large quantities.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Habitat:	Grassland on heaths, dunes etc[17], on acidic and alkaline soils[214].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Adi Sutotu [E], Common Milkwort [L,B,P], Gewone Vleugeltjesbloem [D],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	vulgaris = common;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Polygalales. Milkwort family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Turkey

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.35m. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from May to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Meadow.

Edible Uses

Tea.

The leaves are used as a tea substitute[177]. They are used to adulterate green China tea[2].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Stimulant.

The bitter-tasting milkwort has a reputation for increasing milk flow in nursing mothers, but this belief is in fact unfounded[254]. Whilst little used in modern herbalism, the root and aerial parts of the plant contain triterpenoid saponins which promote the clearing of phlegm from the bronchial tubes and so is a valuable herb for the treatment of respiratory problems such as chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and convulsive coughs such as whooping cough[254]. The plant is also thought to have sweat-inducing and diuretic properties[254].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a moderately fertile moisture-retentive well-drained soil, succeeding in full sun if the soil remains moist throughout the growing season, otherwise it is best in semi-shade[200]. Dislikes shade according to another report.
A very polymorphic species[200].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame[214]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division.
Cuttings of young shoots in a frame in late spring[1].

Suppliers

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

Web References

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

References for the family Polygalaceae.

To be included in 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]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[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.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[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.

[214] Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994 ISBN 1352-4186
A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.

[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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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?Polygala+vulgaris
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