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Plants

Convolvulus scammonia

Scammony

a perennial member of the Convolvulus genus in the family Convolvulaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.75 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Self

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.

A resin is obtained from the root. The earth is cleared away from the top of the root, the top is then cut off obliquely about 5cm below the point where the stalks spring forth. The exuding juice is collected, which gradually hardens[5]. This resin is a drastic cathartic and hydrogogue and should be used with great caution[5][6][8]. The roots contain about 8% resin[4].

Product or use
Cathartic
Product or use
Hydrogogue

Environment

Range
Europe - Mediterranean, to W. Asia.
Habitat
Scrub and forest margins[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[2]. Germination can be slow and erratic, a period of cold stratification might help reduce the germination period. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Cuttings of young shoots, August in a frame in sand[1].

Cultivation

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

Prefers a light basic sharply drained soil of low to medium fertility[5][3]. Prefers a sunny sheltered position. Thrives in dry soils[5] and succeeds in ordinary garden soils. The root can be up to 1.2 metres long, so for best results a deep soil is required[5].

References

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

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

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

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  4. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

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  7. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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

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