Chamaelirium luteum
Blazing Star
a perennial member of the Chamaelirium genus in the family Melanthiaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Melanthiaceae
- Genus
- Chamaelirium
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.5 m
- Spread
- 0.3 m
- Fertility
- self sterile
- Flower type
- dioecious
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.
This plant is a cardiac toxin in large quantities[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.
Blazing star is a traditional remedy of the North American Indians where it was used mainly as a woman's herb[9]. It is widely used in Western herbal medicine where it is seen as a balancing herb for the female reproductive system and has proved to be a beneficial remedy for menstrual problems and ovarian cysts - it can also be of help in the menopause[9]. The root is adaptogen, diuretic, emetic, uterine tonic and vermifuge[10][12][13][2][8]. Small doses of the dried and powdered root are used[6]. It is employed in the treatment of amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and leucorrhoea[5] and also for a variety of ailments associated with the male and female reproductive organs[6]. It should be used with caution since an excess causes vomiting[8]. The root is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[8].
- Product or use
- Adaptogen
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Emetic
- Product or use
- Tonic
- Product or use
- Uterine tonic
- Product or use
- Vermifuge
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - New York to Florida, west to Arkansas, Illinois and Michigan.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- very acid, acid
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow as soon as it is ripe just below the surface of a peat/sand mix in pots in a cold frame[3]. Keep cool and moist. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 6 months at 10°c[3]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in pots plunged in a nursery bed for 1 - 2 years, giving protection from severe weather. Plant out in spring when the plants are large enough[3]. Division.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a moist fertile humus-rich acidic soil in sun or light dappled shade[1][4]. Prefers a cool peaty soil[7].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202