Practical
Plants

Ageratum conyzoides

Goatweed

an annual member of the Ageratum genus in the family Compositae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The juice of the root is antilithic[2][3]. A paste of the root, mixed with the bark of Schinus wallichii, is applied to set dislocated bones[4]. The leaves are styptic[2]. They are dried and applied as a powder to cuts, sores and the ruptures caused by leprosy[4], The powder absorbs the moisture of the disease and forms a layer that is removed after 1 - 2 days[4]. An effective cure for most cuts and sores, though it does not effect a complete cure for leprosy[4]. The leaves are also used externally in the treatment of ague[2][3]. The juice of the plant is used to treat cuts, wounds and bruises[4]. A paste of the leaves is used as a poultice to remove thorns from the skin[4]. A paste made of the leaves mixed with equal amounts of Bidens pilosa, Drymaria cordata, Galinsoga parviflora and the rhizome of Zingiber officinale is used to treat snakebites[4]. The juice of the flowerheads is used externally to treat scabies, whilst a paste of them is used to treat rheumatism[4]. A tea made from the flowerheads mixed with Ocimum tenuifolium is used to treat coughs and colds[4].

Product or use
Lithontripic
Product or use
Styptic
Product or use
Vulnerary
Product or use
Skin

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves and the flowers yield 0.2% essential oil with a powerful nauseating odour[2]. The oil contains 5% eugenol, which has a pleasant odour[2]. The oil from plants growing in Africa has an agreeable odour, consisting almost entirely of eugenol[2].

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
S. America.
Habitat
A common weed of cultivated ground, having spread from its native range to all areas of the Tropics within 20° of the Equator, to an altitude of 2,500 metres[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow late winter or early spring in a warm greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and plant out after the last expected frosts[1]. Seed can also be sown in situ in the spring and, for earlier blooms, it is possible to sow it in late summer or early autumn, though it will need to be overwintered in a warm greenhouse[1].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in full sun in a sheltered position in any reasonably fertile moisture-retentive soil that does not dry out in the summer[1]. Plant vigour and flowering periods are much reduced on dry soils[1]. This species is not frost hardy, though it can be grown as a summer annual in Britain[1]. The fresh plant is malodorous[1].

References

  1. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  2. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  3. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

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