Practical
Plants

Epilobium tetragonum

Square-Stemmed Willow Herb

a perennial member of the Epilobium genus in the family Onagraceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Leaves - cooked[2][4]. Used as a vegetable[5].

Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Sweden south and east to W. Asia.
Habitat
Damp woodland clearings, hedgebanks, ditches and cultivated soil[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
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.

Succeeds in most soils[1], preferring a well-drained but moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[6].

References

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

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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

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

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  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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

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