Practical
Plants

Chelidonium majus

Greater Celandine

a perennial member of the Chelidonium genus in the family Papaveraceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
0.5 m
Spread
0.4 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Beetles, Self

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.

The whole plant is poisonous[27][2][11]. It is of very low toxicity and this is greatly reduced by drying the plant[26]. The stem juice is highly irritating and allergenic, it may cause paralysis[17]. Large doses cause sleepiness, skin irritation, respiratory tract irritation, violent coughing and dyspnoea[22]. It also stains the urine bright yellow and may cause ulcers[22].

Edible uses

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

Leaves - cooked in small quantities[8]. They contain small amounts of toxic alkaloids[9]. The leaves are boiled with clean earth, the mixture is left overnight and then thoroughly washed in several changes of water[9]. Very much a famine food, to be used when all else fails!![K].

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.

Greater celandine has a long history of herbal use[24]. Traditionally it was employed as an ophthalmic to treat and clear the eyesight whilst in modern herbal medicine it is used more as a mild sedative, antispasmodic and detoxifying herb, relaxing the muscles of the bronchial tubes, intestines and other organs[21]. The latex is much used externally to treat warts. Caution should be employed, especially when the plant is used internally however, because it contains toxic alkaloids[27][14]. The leaves and the sap are acrid, alterative, anodyne, antispasmodic, caustic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, hydrogogue, narcotic, purgative[24][27][29][14][25][6][19]. They are used in the treatment of bronchitis, whooping cough, asthma, jaundice, gallstones and gallbladder pains[21]. The plant is harvested in the spring as it comes into flower, it is best used fresh[27], but can also be dried for later use[29]. The roots can also be used, these are harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[29]. The plant has anticancer properties and is analgesic[24][15]. It is an important component of a stomach ulcer drug[15]. The plant has an abundant acrid bright-orange sap that stains the skin strongly and is powerfully irritant[24]. It is used as an external treatment to get rid of warts, ringworm and corns[4][10][17][20] and has also been used to remove films from the cornea of the eye[24]. The plant contains the alkaloid chelidonine, which is similar to the alkaloid papaverine found in poppies. This alkaloid has antispasmodic and sedative effects on the bile ducts and bronchi. However, results have been inconsistent, especially if the preparation is not fresh[20]. The plant also contains the alkaloid sparteine, which restores normal rhythm to feeble arrhythmic myocardia[13].

Product or use
Acrid
Product or use
Alterative
Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Hydrogogue
Product or use
Narcotic
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Purgative
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Warts

Material uses

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

Plants rapidly form a ground cover, but should only be used in wild places because of their invasive nature[12]. Seed contains 50 - 66% of a fatty oil[28]. No more details given.

Product or use
Oil

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, east to N. Asia.
Habitat
Rubble, damp ground, banks, hedgerows and by walls[27][7], nearly always close to human habitations[24].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow in situ February to May or August to November. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 12 months[5][12]. The plant self-sows freely and should not need much encouragement. Division in March[3]. The plant bleeds profusely so this method is not recommended[12].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in any soil other than boggy conditions[1][3][18]. Prefers a rich soil of a woodland nature[1][23]. Shade tolerant[23]. Plants grow well on walls if they are given a semi-shaded position and a pocket of soil into which to root[16]. A short-lived perennial[10], but it self-sows freely and can easily become a weed[12]. It quickly colonizes waste ground and thin woodland areas[18]. Once established, the plant is very difficult to eradicate.

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  2. Altmann. H. Poisonous Plants and Animals. Chatto and Windus 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-7011-2526-8

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  5. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩

  6. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

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

    ↩

  8. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  9. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  10. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  11. Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-600-35666-3

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  13. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

    ↩

  14. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  16. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩

  17. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2

  18. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  20. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2

  21. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2

  22. Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Orbis Publishing. London. 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-85613-067-2

    ↩1↩2

  23. Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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

    ↩

  26. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩

  27. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  28. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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