Practical
Plants

Parietaria judaica

Pellitory Of The Wall

a perennial member of the Parietaria genus in the family Urticaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young plant - raw or cooked[4][1]. The young shoots can be added to mixed salads[10].

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.

Pellitory of the wall has been valued for over 2,000 years for its diuretic action, as a soother of chronic coughs and as a balm for wounds and burns[6]. In European herbal medicine it is regarded as having a restorative action on the kidneys, supporting and strengthening their function[6]. The whole herb, gathered when in flower, is cholagogue, slightly demulcent, diuretic, laxative, refrigerant and vulnerary[7][10][9][2][5]. It is an efficacious remedy for kidney and bladder stones and other complaints of the urinary system such as cystitis and nephritis[7][5][6]. It should not be prescribed to people with hay fever or other allergic conditions[5]. The leaves can be usefully employed externally as a poultice on wounds etc[7]. They have a soothing effect on simple burns and scalds[10]. The plant is harvested when flowering and can be used fresh or dried[5].

Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Demulcent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Refrigerant
Product or use
Vulnerary

Material uses

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

The whole plant is used for cleaning windows and copper containers[10].

Product or use
Cleanser

Environment

Range
Western and southern Europe, including Britain.
Habitat
Hedgebanks, cracks in rocks and dry walls[10][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light 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 - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. Prick out the seedling when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed then it can be sown in situ in autumn or spring. Division in spring. Very easy, larger 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.

Prefers a well-drained to dry alkaline soil in full sun or semi-shade[5]. The plant grows well on drystone walls[3]. This plant is sometimes erroneously called P. officinalis. The true P. officinalis. L. is an European plant that is not found in Britain, P. judaica is its British representative[8]. The pollen of this plant is one of the earliest and most active of the hay fever allergens[10]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

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

    ↩

  2. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  4. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  5. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  6. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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

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  10. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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