Practical
Plants

Mercurialis perennis

Dog's Mercury

a perennial member of the Mercurialis genus in the family Euphorbiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
0.3 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind, Flies
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Wind, Flies

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.

All parts of the plant are poisonous[8][10][11].

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.

Dog's mercury is poisonous in the fresh state, though thorough drying or heating is said to destroy the poisonous principle[8]. The fresh juice of the whole plant is emetic, ophthalmic and purgative. It is used externally to treat women's complaints, ear and eye problems, warts and sores[8][12][5]. A lotion made from the plant is used for antiseptic external dressings[8]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[12]. It is used in the treatment of rheumatism, dropsy, diarrhoea and disorders of the gall bladder and liver[12].

Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Homeopathy
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Purgative
Product or use
Warts
Product or use
Women's complaints

Material uses

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

A fine blue dye is obtained from the leaves[1][8][2], it is turned red by acids and destroyed by alkalis but is otherwise permanent[2]. It resembles indigo[2]. A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves[9]. The seed is a potential source of a very good drying oil[9].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Oil

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain and S.W. Asia.
Habitat
Woods and shady places, usually in beech and oak woods, avoiding acid soils[8][12][3][4][7].
Light
partial sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - the plant shouldn't need any help in spreading itself, but if you are desperate to be completely overrun by it then you could spread the seed around when it is ripe in late spring and early summer. Division - once again, there really is no need to help the plant but you can divide the roots at any time of the year.

Cultivation

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

Prefers a humus rich soil[3][4]. Dog's mercury is a very invasive and common hedgerow plant, it should not be necessary to cultivate it. Male and female plants usually grow in separate clumps, the females being less common[8]. The leaves contain trimethylamine and, in the early stages of putrefaction or when bruised, they give off the smell of rotting fish[6]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

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

    ↩

  2. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  7. Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

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

    ↩1↩2

  10. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩

  11. Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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