Practical
Plants

Bolax gummifera

a perennial evergreen member of the Bolax genus in the family Umbelliferae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Bolax
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Growth rate
slow
Height
0.02 m
Spread
1.2 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Insects
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Root - raw or roasted[5].

Plant part
Root

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.

An oleo-resin obtained from incisions made at the base of the main stem is antispasmodic and deobstruent[4].

Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Deobstruent

Material uses

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

Plants can be used for ground cover, forming a very dense carpet of growth[3].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
Southern S. America
Habitat
Cliffs and rocks, open scrub and heath, forest margins and clearings, feldmark, to 900 metres[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - it may be best to sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring. Stored seed should be sown in late winter in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of rooting rosettes in the summer[1]

Cultivation

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

Requires a position in full sun in a well-drained gritty humus-rich soil[1][2]. A cushion plant up to 1.2m in diameter[5], it is often included in the genus Azorella[1]. Plants rarely flower in cultivation[1]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩

  3. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩

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

    ↩

  5. Moore. D. M. Flora of Tierra del Fuego. Anthony Nelson. 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-904614-05-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

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