Epilobium latifolium
River Beauty
a perennial member of the Epilobium genus in the family Onagraceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Onagraceae
- Genus
- Epilobium
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.4 m
- Spread
- 0.4 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Young shoots - cooked. Used like asparagus[12][2][3]. Very poor quality[6]. Young leaves - raw[3][5]. They become bitter with age[12]. A good source of vitamins A and C[10]. Flower stalks - raw or cooked. Eaten when the flowers are in bud[12]. The dried leaves are used as a tea substitute[12][4][5]. The core of mature stems is eaten raw. Slightly sweet, tender and pleasant tasting[12][3]. Very fiddly though[12].
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Stem
- 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 entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, it is said to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[9]. Analgesic, antidote, anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, antirheumatic and febrifuge, it is used in the treatment of fevers and inflammations, plus also itching pimples[9].
- Product or use
- Analgesic
- Product or use
- Antidote
- Product or use
- Antiinflammatory
- Product or use
- Antipruritic
- Product or use
- Antirheumatic
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
Environment
- Range
- N. Europe to Northern N. America.
- Habitat
- River gravels, margins of streams and damp slopes[11].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, 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 early spring in situ or as soon as the seed is ripe. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a well-drained but moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[7]. Succeeds in most soils[1]. The roots are somewhat spreading and the plant can become invasive[8].
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
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994-00-00 ISBN 81-900489-0-2
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9