Practical
Plants

Dracocephalum moldavica

Moldavian Balm

an annual member of the Dracocephalum genus in the family Labiatae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.25 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

The lemon-scented leaves are used to make a tea[1]. Young shoots[1]. No further details are given.

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

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.

The seeds are astringent, carminative and tonic[3]. They are used as a demulcent in the treatment of fevers[3]. The plant is astringent, tonic and vulnerary[3].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Vulnerary

Material uses

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

The plant contains an essential oil, this is a possible source of citral[3].

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
E. Europe to E. Asia.
Habitat
Dry hills, stony riverbanks and valleys at elevations from 200 - 2,700 metres in western China.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
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 early spring in situ. Pinch back the shoot tips in May in order to encourage bushy growth[2].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in a sunny position in a fertile well-drained soil[2]. The plant is sometimes cultivated for its essential oil[5]. The plant is very fragrant[2], with both the leaves and the flowers emitting a most refreshing scent of lemons[4]. The flowers remain fragrant and fresh for several weeks[4]. It is a useful plant for filling gaps in the summer border[2].

References

  1. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  3. 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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  5. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩

Edit this page