Asperula cynanchica
Squinancy Wort
Taxonomy and growth
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.
The plant was at one time esteemed as a remedy for quinsy, but it is no longer used in herbal medicine[5].
Material uses
A red dye is obtained from the root[5].
- Product or use
- Dye
Environment
- Range
- Central and southeastern Europe, including Britain, to the Caucasus.
- Habitat
- Dry calcareous pastures and calcareous dunes[3].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - sow spring to early summer in a light position in a cold frame[2]. 2 weeks pre-chilling improves the germination rate[2]. The seed usually germinates in 1 month at 10°c[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or early summer[4]. Basal cuttings of soft young shoots in early summer[4].
Cultivation
Succeeds in almost any soil, including dry ones[1]. Prefers a well-drained moisture retentive soil in sun or semi-shade[4].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9