Ferula assa-foetida

Taxonomy and growth

Family

Umbelliferae

Genus

Ferula

Life cycle

perennial

Height

2 m

Spread

1.5 m

Fertility

self fertile

Flower type

hermaphrodite

Pollinators

Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Leaves and young shoots - cooked as a vegetable^{[8][15][6][7]}. The plant has a foetid odour, but this disappears when it is boiled^[8]. The cabbage-like folded heads are eaten raw as a delicacy^[7]. Root - cooked^[8][15]. It needs to be steeped in order to remove a bitterness^[20]. A starch extracted from the roots is used to make a porridge^[20]. A gum-resin from the root is used as a food flavouring^[4]. It is an essential ingredient of Worcester sauce, it is also used to flavour a wide range of dishes and drinks^[7]. It is popular in natural food cuisine as a garlic substitute^[7]. The resin obtained from this plant is probably the foulest-smelling of all herbs, with a sulphurous garlic-like odour^[19][12]. It is so nauseating to some people that it has been nicknamed 'dung of the devil'^[19]. However, in judicious quantities it gives a surprisingly pleasant flavour to many foods^[12].

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.

Asafoetida is a very effective medicinal herb that acts mainly on the digestive system, cleansing and strengthening the gastro-intestinal tract^[12]. It is much used in the Ayurvedic tradition^[12]. The gum-resin contains a volatile oil that is as persistent in aroma as garlic. They leave the body via the respiratory system and aid the coughing up of congested mucous^[14]. The pungently flavoured gum-resin that is obtained from the root is alterative, anthelmintic, antiperiodic, antispasmodic, carminative, deobstruent, deodorant, expectorant, laxative, sedative and stomachic^{[19][10][5][11]}. It is used in the treatment of simple digestive problems such as wind, bloating, indigestion and constipation, and also for respiratory problems such as bronchitis, bronchial asthma and whooping cough^[14]. It is also used as a circulatory stimulant, lowering blood pressure and thinning the blood^{[19][10][3][5][14]}. The resin has a synergistic effect on other herbal preparations such as camphor, valerian and nux-vomica^[19]. It is used in tincture as a mild cardio-tonic^[19]. See below under 'Uses notes' for details on harvesting the resin.

Material uses

A gum-resin is obtained from incisions in the roots and rhizomes^[2]. The stem is removed at the end of the growing season, the root uncovered and a thin slice removed^[20]. Another report says that the stem is removed as the plant starts to flower^[12]. The gum exudes and hardens and a fresh slice is then made^[20]. The gum should be stored in an air-tight container to prevent its strong flavour contaminating nearby substances^[12]. The gum is a source of an essential oil which has medicinal properties and is also used as a food flavouring and in perfumery^[16][17][18].

Environment

Range

W. Asia - Afghanistan to Iran.

Habitat

Deserts^[20].

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

no shade

Water

moderate

Hardiness

Zone 8+

Soil textures

sandy, loamy, clay

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline

Drainage

well drained

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

No

Drought

intolerant

Propagation

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils^[1]. Prefers a deep fertile soil in a sunny position^[9]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c^[9]. Plants have a long taproot and are intolerant of root disturbance^[9]. They should be planted into their final positions as soon as possible. Monocarpic, the plant takes some years before it flowers and dies after flowering^[20]. In Britain, the plants usually flower after about 5 years^[12]. The whole plant, especially when bruised, has an unpleasant smell like stale fish^[13].

Related plants

• Ferula caspica
• Ferula communisGiant Fennel
• Ferula conocaula
• Ferula foetidaAsafoetida

References

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

   ↩1↩2↩3

2. Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq.

   ↩

3. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

   ↩

4. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

   ↩

5. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

   ↩1↩2

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

   ↩

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

   ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

   ↩1↩2↩3

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

   ↩1↩2↩3

10. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

11. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

12. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

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

    ↩

14. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

17. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

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

    ↩

19. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

20. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6