Practical
Plants

Anchusa officinalis

Alkanet

a biennial or perennial member of the Anchusa genus in the family Boraginaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Anchusa
Life cycle
biennial, perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

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

Leaves and young shoots - cooked[13][4][7]. Used like spinach[10][9]. Flowers - cooked or used as a garnish[9]. The red dye obtained from the roots can be used to colour oils and fats[2].

Product or use
Colouring
Plant part
Flowers
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.

All parts of the plant are demulcent and expectorant[13]. They are used externally to treat cuts, bruises and phlebitis and internally to treat coughs and bronchial catarrh[13]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[13]. It is used in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers[13].

Product or use
Demulcent
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Homeopathy

Material uses

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

A red dye is obtained from the roots[5].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
Europe to W. Asia. An introduced casual in Britain[8].
Habitat
Roadsides, pastures and waste ground, preferring warmer areas[13][5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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 in pots of sandy soil[11]. An overnight drop in temperature helps germination[6]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 4 weeks at 21°c[6]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. The seed can also be sown in an outdoor seed bed during July, transplanting the plants to their final positions during early autumn[12]. These plants will grow larger and flower earlier than those sown in spring.

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in most soils, preferring a sunny position[1]. Prefers a fertile well-drained soil[3]. The flowers are a rich source of nectar and are very attractive to bees[1]. The dry leaves emit a rich musky fragrance, rather like wild strawberry leaves drying.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

    ↩

  4. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  7. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  10. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

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

    ↩

  12. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  13. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

Edit this page