Practical
Plants

Meum athamanticum

Spignel

a perennial member of the Meum genus in the family Umbelliferae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Meum
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.45 m
Spread
0.15 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Root - cooked[1][8][9][4]. Used like parsnips[5]. Leaves - used as a condiment in soups, stews and vegetable dishes[10]. They add a subtle sweetish flavour[5].

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Root

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 herb is diuretic, emmenagogue and stomachic[9].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Stomachic

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to Spain, Germany and the Balkans.
Habitat
Grassy places in mountainous districts[3], usually on limestone soils[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
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 - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[6]. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer or the following spring[K]. Division in autumn[2]. Large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation

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

Grows well in almost any fertile well-drained moderately retentive soil in a sunny position[6]. This species was formerly cultivated for its edible root[9]. All parts of the plant, especially the roots, are aromatic with a scent like melilot (Melilotus officinalis)[7].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

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

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  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

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  8. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

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