Practical
Plants

Senecio cineraria

Cineraria

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Senecio genus in the family Compositae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Senecio
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
0.6 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

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.

The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are highly toxic to the liver, so the plant should not be used internally[7].

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 fresh juice of the leaves is ophthalmic. Applied to the eyes it has a mildly irritating effect that increases blood flow tot he area, helping to strengthen resistance and clear away infections[7]. One or two drops put into the eyes is said to be of use in removing cataracts and also in the treatment of conjunctivitis[8][10][1][7]. This remedy should only be used under the supervision of a trained practitioner[7]. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are highly toxic to the liver so the plant should not be used internally[7].

Product or use
Ophthalmic

Material uses

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

The plant is very tolerant of maritime exposure and can be grown as a dwarf windbreak hedge. It is fairly slow growing, though, and apt to be short-lived[K].

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Environment

Range
S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Maritime cliffs in S.W. England[3], mainly on limestone[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure, drought
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Overwinter in a cold frame and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of mature wood, November in a greenhouse. Division in spring.

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in a sunny position in most well-drained moderately fertile soils[6]. Requires a well-drained sandy soil[4]. Established plants are drought resistant[5]. Plants are fairly tolerant of maritime exposure[K]. A very ornamental plant, it is not fully hardy in the colder areas of Britain[2], tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[4]. Plants quickly become straggly if unpruned and also tend to be fairly short-lived and are best replaced every few years.

References

  1. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

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  2. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

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

    ↩1↩2

  5. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

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  9. Polunin. O. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-19-217626-9

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

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