Practical
Plants

Silene vulgaris

Bladder Campion

a perennial member of the Silene genus in the family Caryophyllaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Silene
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Lepidoptera, Bees
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Lepidoptera, Bees

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.

Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it does contain saponins. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Edible uses

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

Young shoots and leaves - raw or cooked[5][10][13][14][11]. The young leaves are sweet and very agreeable in salads[7]. The cooked young shoots, harvested when about 5cm long, have a flavour similar to green peas but with a slight bitterness[4]. This bitterness can be reduced by blanching the shoots as they appear from the ground[4]. When pureed it is said to rival the best spinach purees[4]. The leaves can also be finely chopped and added to salads[4]. The leaves should be used before the plant starts to flower[14]. Some caution is advised, see the notes on toxicity above.

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 plant is said to be emollient and is used in baths or as a fumigant[8]. The juice of the plant is used in the treatment of ophthalmia[8].

Material uses

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

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it is most likely that the following use can be made of the plant:- The root is used as a soap substitute for washing clothes etc[9][12]. The soap is obtained by simmering the root in hot water.

Product or use
Soap

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and temperate Asia.
Habitat
Arable land, roadsides, grassy slopes etc, avoiding acid soils[14][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
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 - sow early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, an outdoor sowing in situ can be made. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation

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

Prefers a well-drained moisture retentive light loamy soil in a sunny position[1][6]. A good moth plant[2]. 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

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  2. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

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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. Les Ecologistes de l'Euzi�re Les Salades Sauvages Not given. 1994-00-00 ISBN 2-906128-04-X

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  8. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

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

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  11. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

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

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  13. Ceres. Free for All. Thorsons Publishers 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-7225-0445-4

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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