Practical
Plants

Agrostemma githago

Corncockle

an annual member of the Agrostemma genus in the family Caryophyllaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.9 m
Spread
0.15 m
Fertility
Bees, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Lepidoptera

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

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

The seed and leaves are poisonous, containing saponin-like substances[11][7][14]. Although poisonous, saponins are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm. Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Edible uses

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

Leaves - cooked[9][12][13][5]. A famine food, used when all else fails[6]. Some caution is advised - see the notes above on toxicity.

Plant part
Leaves

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 seed is diuretic, expectorant and vermifuge[11][1][10]. Minute amounts are used medicinally[10]. It has a folk history of use in the treatment of cancer, warts etc[10]. The plant is not used in allopathic medicine, but it has been found efficacious in the treatment of dropsy and jaundice if used for long enough[11]. Some caution is advised, see notes above on toxicity. A homeopathic remedy has been made from the seeds[11]. It has been found useful in the treatment of paralysis and gastritis[11].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Homeopathy
Product or use
Vermifuge

Environment

Range
Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
A weed of cornfields, becoming very rare in the wild due to modern agricultural practises[1][4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks. The seed has a short viability[3]. Eighteen month old seed germinated freely with us[K].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in most soils. Prefers a rich soil[2]. Prefers a well-drained not too fertile soil and a sunny position[8]. Plants are hardy to between -15 to -20°c[8]. Corncockle usually self-sows freely so long as there is some disturbed ground[K].

References

  1. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩1↩2

  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00

    ↩

  3. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  7. Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-600-35666-3

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  9. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

    ↩

  10. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  12. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  13. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  14. Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291

    ↩

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