Melilotus officinalis
Melilot
an annual or biennial member of the Melilotus genus in the family Leguminosae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Leguminosae
- Genus
- Melilotus
- Life cycle
- annual, biennial
- Height
- 1.2 m
- Spread
- 0.7 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.
The dried leaves can be toxic. though the fresh leaves are quite safe to use. This is possibly due to the presence of coumarin, the substance that gives some dried plants the smell of new mown hay, if taken internally it can prevent the blood clotting.
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Root[19][2][7]. Consumed as a food by the Kalmuks[10]. Young shoots - cooked. Used like asparagus[10]. Young leaves are eaten in salads[4]. The leaves and seedpods are cooked as a vegetable[23][20][7]. They are used as a flavouring[19]. Only fresh leaves should be used, see the notes above on toxicity[21]. The crushed dried leaves can be used as a vanilla flavouring in puddings, pastries etc[8][10][14]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Flowers - raw or cooked[7]. The flowers and seeds are used as a flavouring[11]. The flowers also give an aromatic quality to some tisanes[22].
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
- Plant part
- Seedpod
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.
Melilot, used either externally or internally, can help treat varicose veins and haemorrhoids though it requires a long-term treatment for the effect to be realised[17]. Use of the plant also helps to reduce the risk of phlebitis and thrombosis[17]. Melilot contains coumarins and, as the plant dries or spoils, these become converted to dicoumarol, a powerful anticoagulant[17]. Thus the plant should be used with some caution, it should not be prescribed to patients with a history of poor blood clotting or who are taking warfarin medication[14]. See also the notes above on toxicity[13]. The flowering plant is antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diuretic, emollient, mildly expectorant, mildly sedative and vulnerary[18][22][25][4][13][14][15]. An infusion is used in the treatment of sleeplessness, nervous tension, neuralgia, palpitations, varicose veins, painful congestive menstruation, in the prevention of thrombosis, flatulence and intestinal disorders[22][14]. Externally, it is used to treat eye inflammations, rheumatic pains, swollen joints, severe bruising, boils and erysipelas, whilst a decoction is added to the bath-water[25][14]. The flowering plant is harvested in the summer and can be dried for later use[22]. A distilled water obtained from the flowering tops is an effective treatment for conjunctivitis[22].
- Product or use
- Antispasmodic
- Product or use
- Aromatic
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Emollient
- Product or use
- Expectorant
- Product or use
- Ophthalmic
- Product or use
- Vulnerary
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaves contain coumarin and they release the pleasant smell of newly mown hay when they are drying[14]. The leaves are dried and used as an insect repellent[5][7], especially in order to repel moths from clothing[4][1][14]. They can be put in pillows, mattresses etc[9]. Poorly dried or fermented leaves produce a substance called dicoumarol. This is a potent anti-coagulant which is extremely poisonous in excess, it prevents the blood from coagulating and so it is possible to bleed to death from very small wounds. Dicoumarol is used in rat poisons[14]. The plant can be used as a green manure, enriching the soil with nitrogen as well a providing organic matter[14].
- Product or use
- Repellent
Environment
- Range
- Europe to E. Asia. Naturalized in Britain.
- Habitat
- Grassy fields and roadsides, avoiding acid soils[6].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- drought
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
- Salinity
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring to mid-summer in situ[24]. Pre-soaking the seed for 12 hours in warm water will speed up the germination process, particularly in dry weather[K]. Germination will usually take place within 2 weeks.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a well-drained to dry neutral to alkaline soil in a sunny position[14]. Prefers a clay or a saline soil[4]. Dislikes shade. Established plants are drought tolerant[14]. The flowers are rich in pollen making this a good bee plant[18][22][23][4]. If they are cut back before flowering, the plants will grow on for at least another year before dying[3]. The dried plant has a sweet aromatic fragrance like newly mown hay[16]. 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[12].
References
Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00
Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009
Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Ceres. Free for All. Thorsons Publishers 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-7225-0445-4
Woodward. L. Burge. P. Green Manures. Elm Farm Research Centre. 1982-00-00
Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2