Lithospermum canescens
Paint Indian
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Genus
- Lithospermum
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.15 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
The roots have been chewed with gum in order to colour the gum red[5]. The flowers have been chewed with gum in order to colour it yellow[5].
- Product or use
- Colouring
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.
A tea made from the leaves is applied externally in the treatment of fevers accompanied by spasms[4].
- Product or use
- Miscellany
Material uses
A red dye is obtained from the root[7][8][3].
- Product or use
- Dye
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - Ontario to Georgia, west to Saskatchewan and Texas.
- Habitat
- Dry or sandy open woods, prairies etc[6].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 3+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. It is best sown in a soilless medium[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings. Division.
Cultivation
Requires a warm sunny position in a moderately fertile well-drained lime-free sandy soil[1][2].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202