Practical
Plants

Erodium cicutarium

Stork's Bill

an annual member of the Erodium genus in the family Geraniaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Erodium
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Beetles, Lepidoptera, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Beetles, Lepidoptera, Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb[5][12][13][14][4]. Harvested in the spring before the plant flowers[9], they are tasty and nutritious[7]. The leaves are added to salads, sandwiches, soups etc[15], they can be used in recipes that call for leaves of beet, plantain, sow thistle or amaranth[4]. Young stems - raw[9]. Root - chewed by children as a gum[9].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Stem

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 whole plant is astringent and haemostatic{9, 13, 21]. It has been used in the treatment of uterine and other bleeding[15]. The root and leaves have been eaten by nursing mothers to increase the flow of milk[9]. Externally, the plant has been used as a wash on animal bites, skin infections etc[9]. A poultice of the chewed root has been applied to sores and rashes[9]. A tea made from the leaves is diaphoretic and diuretic[8]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of typhoid fever[9]. The leaves are soaked in bath water for the treatment of rheumatism[8]. The seeds contain vitamin K, a poultice of them is applied to gouty typhus[8].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Galactogogue
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

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

A green dye is obtained from the whole plant. It does not require a mordant[2]. The remnants of the styles are very hygroscopic, they can be used in hygrometers and as weather indicators[10][11]. The dried plant powder has been mixed with watermelon seeds during storage and planting in order to prevent watermelon disease[9].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Weather forecasting

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa, the Himalayas and Japan.
Habitat
Sandy dunes, grassland, arable land, waste areas, roadsides, railway embankments etc, usually near the sea[15].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow in situ as soon as the seed is ripe in the late summer. The seed can also be sown in situ in late spring[1]. Germination usually takes place within 3 weeks[6].

Cultivation

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

Prefers a sunny well-drained position and a limy soil or at least one that is not acid[1]. Plants are likely to be resistant to maritime exposure[K].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  2. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

    ↩

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

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  12. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩

  13. Coyle. J. and Roberts. N. C. A Field Guide to the Common and Interesting Plants of Baja California. Natural History Publishing Co. 1975-00-00

    ↩

  14. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

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  15. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

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