Practical
Plants

Hedysarum hedysaroides

Alpine French Honeysuckle

a perennial member of the Hedysarum genus in the family Leguminosae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.4 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Root - raw or cooked. Sweet and highly nutritious. Harvested from late autumn to spring, it is sweetened by frost[2].

Plant part
Root

Environment

Range
S. and C. Europe, Arctic Russia and Western N. America.
Habitat
Gravel river bars, roadsides, rocky hills and meadows, 1200 - 2500 metres in the Alps[2][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
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 in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe or in the spring[4]. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in spring. Great care is needed since the plant dislikes root disturbance[4].

Cultivation

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

Easily grown in ordinary garden soil that is moist in summer[3] and a sunny position[1], preferring a deep well-drained sandy loam[1][4]. This species is hardy to about -20°c[3]. Plants strongly resent root disturbance and should be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible[1]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[4].

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

  3. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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