Practical
Plants

Petasites albus

Butterbur

a perennial member of the Petasites genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
0.6 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Insects
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

The small fleshy petioles (leaf stems) are very palatable when cooked and eaten like asparagus[9].

Plant part
Stem

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 emmenagogue, hypnotic, sedative and vulnerary[9][3]. The ground or finely chopped rhizome has a healing effect when applied to slow-healing or weak ulcers, or to suppurating wounds[9]. An infusion of the leaves is a specific remedy for coughs[9]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots[9]. It is used in the treatment of wounds, ulcers etc[9].

Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Homeopathy
Product or use
Hypnotic
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Vulnerary

Material uses

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

A good ground cover for the wilder areas of the garden[5]. It is too invasive to be used in small gardens and is only suitable for covering large areas[6]. The leaves were at one time used by peasants as a head covering[9].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
N. and C. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Waste ground, roadsides, plantations and woods[2], often in damp soils[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy 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 - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe or in early spring. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division succeeds at almost any time of the year. 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.

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1], but prefers a deep fertile humus-rich soil that is permanently moist but not stagnant, succeeding in shade, semi-shade or full sun[5]. Prefers partial shade[8]. Prefers a heavy soil[6]. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn[7]. A very invasive plant, too rampant for anything other than the wild garden[4][5]. 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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  3. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩

  4. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

    ↩1↩2

  7. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  8. Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

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