Practical
Plants

Orobanche fasciculata

Cancer Root

a perennial member of the Orobanche genus in the family Orobanchaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

The entire plant is edible - raw or cooked[7][8][1][2][5]. The plant can be boiled in ashes then peeled and eaten like potatoes[5].

Plant part
Leaves

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 root is pectoral[5]. The chewed root has been used as a dressing on wounds and open sores[5]. An infusion of the leaves is used as a wash on sores[5]. Forms of the plant that are parasitic on sweet sage roots have been used as a treatment of cancer[5]. The dried and powdered plant is inserted in the rectum as a specific treatment for haemorrhoids[5].

Product or use
Antihaemorrhoidal
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Pectoral
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Salve

Environment

Range
Western N. America - Indiana to Yukon and British Columbia, south to California and Arizona.
Habitat
Sandy soils[4], where it is parasitic on the roots of Eriogonum and Artemisia spp[6], to 3200 metres in California and north to British Columbia[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
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 - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in a pot containing a host plant. The seed is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. It might also be possible to sow the seed in situ around a host plant.

Cultivation

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

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most parts of the country. It requires a well-drained soil and should succeed in sun or shade. A fully parasitic plant lacking in chlorophyll, it is entirely dependant upon its host plant for obtaining nutrient[3].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  2. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

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

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  4. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  6. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

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  7. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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

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  9. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

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