Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Scopolia carniolica

Common name:	Scopolia	Family:	Solanaceae
Author:	Jacq.	Botanical references:	50, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	This plant is probably fairly poisonous. The rhizomes contain potentially poisonous alkaloids that are similar to Atropa belladonna[200].
Range:	Europe - Austria, Hungary and Russia.
Habitat:	Moist rocky beech woods around 1000 metres[187, 200]. Damp stony places in hilly areas[4].
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.
	Belladonna scopola[H] S. atropoides[H] Scopola carniolica[H,Sill]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	European Scopolia [P], Glockenbilsenkraut [E], Japanese Belladonna [E], Klokbilzenkruid [E], Russian Belladonna [E], Scopalia [E], Scopolia [H], Scopolie [E], Seiyo-Hasiri-Dokoro [E],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Solanales. Potato family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Britain Eurasia France Germany Japan Netherlands

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.6m . It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from April to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Deep Shade.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Hypnotic Mydriatic Narcotic.

The dried root is hypnotic, mydriatic and narcotic[4, 46, 61]. It causes a sleep that resembles normal sleep[4]. The medicinal activity of this plant resembles belladonna (Atropa belladonna) but it is more narcotic[46]. It is used internally in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, stomach ache and manic-depressive states[238]. A very toxic plant, it should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner[238]. The root is harvested in the autumn and normally processed for extraction of the alkaloids which are used in the pharmaceutical industry[238].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a light, fertile, well-drained dry soil in a shady position[1, 200].
A very ornamental plant[1], it is occasionally cultivated for its medicinal uses[46].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[K]. The seed is best sown in the autumn[188]. Germination is quick and easy[K]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer[K].
Division in spring[188]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the 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]
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Scopola carniolica (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[S] Illustration from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine

References for scopolia carniolica (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

References for the family Solanaceae.

[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

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[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.

[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.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[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.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[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.

[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.

Readers Comments

Main Search Page Help 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?Scopolia+carniolica
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Scopolia+carniolica

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Pathways Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Privacy Policy :: Philosophy :: The Witchs Haven

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.