Practical
Plants

Apocynum venetum

a perennial member of the Apocynum genus in the family Apocynaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Spread
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

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.

All parts of the plant are poisonous[1][10].

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 leaves or the whole herb is cardiotonic, diuretic and hypotensive[3][5]. It is used in the treatment of hypertensive headache, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, oliguria and nephritic oedema[3]. It increases the renal blood flow and can be used for renal and cardiac oedema and ascites of liver cirrhosis[3].

Product or use
Cardiotonic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Hypotensive

Material uses

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

The bark yields a fibre that is used for making twine, bags, linen etc[7][9]. It can be harvested after the leaves fall in autumn but is probably at its best as the seed pods are forming[2].

Product or use
Fibre

Environment

Range
S. Europe. N. Africa - Syria.
Habitat
Swamps, wet places and maritime sands[1][8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
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 - best sown as soon as it is ripe in late summer and overwintered outdoors. The seed requires a period of cold stratification if it is to germinate well[6]. Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting out in late spring of the following year[K]. Division in spring just before active growth begins[4]. Plants can also be divided in the autumn[6].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in sun or shade in most well-drained but moisture-retentive soils[1][4]. Plants can be invasive[4]. The flowers are attractive to bees.

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

    ↩

  3. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  6. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  8. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩

  10. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩

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