Practical
Plants

Chelone glabra

Balmony

a perennial member of the Chelone genus in the family Scrophulariaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Chelone
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
0.5 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

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.

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

Balmony is a very bitter herb with a tea-like flavour that acts mainly as a tonic for the liver and digestive system[9]. It has long been held in esteem in N. American folk medicine, though it has never been investigated scientifically[11]. The herb also has anti-depressant and laxative effects[9]. A decoction of the whole herb is antibilious, aperient, appetizer, cathartic, cholagogue, detergent, tonic, vermifuge[12][7][14][15][3][6][8]. It is used internally in the treatment of consumption, debility, diseases of the liver, gallbladder problems, gallstones etc[12][10]. It is also used to relieve nausea and vomiting, intestinal colic and to expel worms[10]. Its tonic effect upon the digestive system has made it of benefit in the treatment of anorexia nervosa[11]. Externally, it is applied as a soothing ointment to piles, inflamed tumours, irritable ulcers, inflamed breasts etc[12][11]. The plant is harvested when in flower and is dried for later use[9].

Product or use
Antibilious
Product or use
Aperient
Product or use
Appetizer
Product or use
Cathartic
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Detergent
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Vermifuge

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to Ontario and Minnesota, south to Georgia and Missouri.
Habitat
Margins of swamps, wet woods and rivers[12][13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy 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 spring in a cold frame and keep moist. The seed germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 20°c[2]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions in the spring or early summer. Division in autumn[1]. Cuttings of soft tips in summer in a sandy soil in a frame[5].

Cultivation

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

Easily grown in any ordinary soil, but it grows best in a light loam[1]. Tolerates heavy clays and light shade[1][5]. Prefers growing in light shade[9]. Survives but does not thrive in dry conditions[5]. Prefers growing in a bog garden or in a soil that is unlikely to dry out[5]. Plants are very cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -20°c[4]. A polymorphic species, there are several named forms[13]. The plant spreads freely at the roots and so is best grown in a large pot[12].

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

Edit this page