Practical
Plants

Spergularia rubra

Sandwort

an annual or biennial member of the Spergularia genus in the family Caryophyllaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual, biennial
Height
0.25 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Flies, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Flies, Self

Uses

Edible uses

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

Seed - cooked. Dried and ground into a meal then used with flour for making bread etc[2]. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails[2].

Plant part
Seed

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 leaves are diuretic and lithontripic[5][4]. The plant contains a resinous aromatic substance that is probably the active principle[5]. An infusion is thought to relax the muscle walls of the urinary tubules and so it is used in the treatment of kidney stones, acute and chronic cystitis and catarrh of the bladder[5][6].

Product or use
Lithontripic

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, south and east from Norway to N. Africa and Asia. N. America,
Habitat
Open gravelly or sandy habitats[1]. Sand dunes, heaths and coastal cliffs[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
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 or autumn in situ. Some seed germinates in the autumn in the wild while some germinates in the spring.

Cultivation

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

This plant is often found growing in paving crevices and other impoverished niches in the garden[3]. It is a calcifuge plant, requiring neutral to acid soils[1].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  2. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

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