Practical
Plants

Ledum palustre

Wild Rosemary

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Ledum genus in the family Ericaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Ledum
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
1 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

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

Plants contain a narcotic toxin called Ledel. This toxin only causes problems if the leaves are cooked for a long period in a closed container[5].

Edible uses

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

A tea is made from the aromatic leaves[5][7]. Considered by some to be a better tea than that made from L. groenlandicum[7]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. It would be better to brew the tea in cold water by leaving it in a sunny place, or to make sure that it is brewed for a short time only in an open container. The leaves are used as a flavouring, they are a bayleaf substitute[5]. The plant has been used as a hop substitute in making beer, though this has caused an unpleasant kind of drunkenness which is accompanied by a headache and dizziness[11].

Product or use
Condiment
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 leaves and young flowering shoots are astringent, diaphoretic, disinfectant, diuretic, laxative, pectoral, stomachic and tonic[13][5][10][12]. The plant is more strongly narcotic than L. groenlandicum[13] and should not be used without expert supervision[15]. A tea is taken internally in the treatment of asthma, coughs, colds, stomach aches, kidney ailments etc[13][10][12]. Externally, it is used as a wash for burns, ulcers, stings, infections etc[10][12]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the whole, dried and powdered, plant[11]. This is used in the treatment of stings, injuries and joint pains[11]. It is also used in the treatment of various chest complaint, asthma, menstrual pain etc[15].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Homeopathy
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Narcotic
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

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

The leaves are hung up in the clothes cupboard in order to repel insects[13][5]. The branches are also placed among grain in order to keep mice away[13][5]. A strong decoction of the leaves is used to kill lice and insects[13][11]. The leaves contain tannin[13].

Product or use
Insecticide
Product or use
Repellent
Product or use
Tannin

Environment

Range
Northern Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Germany amd Japan.
Habitat
Possibly native to Britain in acid bogs near Bridge of Allan in Sterling and Perth. A rare escape elsewhere in Britain[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 2+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, acid
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - surface sow in a shady part of the greenhouse in February or March[14][3]. Another report says that the seed is best sown in the autumn as soon as it is ripe[8]. Germination is variable and can be quite slow. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow the pots on in a shady frame for 18 months before planting them out into their permanent positions[14]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Plant out in spring. Fair percentage[14]. Cuttings of mature wood, November/December in a frame[3]. Layering in the autumn. Takes 12 months[14]. Division.

Cultivation

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

Requires a lime-free loam or peaty soil[1][2]. Prefers a moist humus-rich acid soil in shade or semi-shade[9]. Plants flower more freely when grown in a sunny position. Plants grow better if they have certain fungal associations in the soil. The best way of providing this is to incorporate some soil from around well-growing established plants into the soil for the new plant[9]. Hardy to at least -15°c[9]. The leaves are very aromatic[6]. When crushed, they smell strongly of hops[11]. Plants benefit from removing the dead flowers before they set seed[8]. This prevents them putting too much energy into seed production at the expense of more flowers and leaves. A good bee plant[13]. The flowers contain an oil that smells strongly of antiseptic[11].

References

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

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  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

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  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  6. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

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

    ↩1↩2

  8. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. 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

  11. Castro. M. The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. Macmillan. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-333-55581-3

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  14. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2

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