Practical
Plants

Stachys sylvatica

Hedge Woundwort

a perennial member of the Stachys genus in the family Labiatae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Stachys
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.9 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

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 whole herb is styptic[5]. It is applied externally to wounds etc[5]. The plant is also said to be diuretic, emmenagogue and tonic[3].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Styptic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

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

A tough fibre is obtained from the stem[5]. It has commercial possibilities[5]. A yellow dye is obtained from the plant[5].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Fibre

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, south and east from Norway to Portugal, the Caucasus and the Himalayas.
Habitat
Woodland, hedgebanks and shady waste places, usually on rich soils[1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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 in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. 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.

Grows well along woodland edges[2]. The whole plant gives off a most unpleasant smell when bruised[4]. A good bee plant[2].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

    ↩1↩2

  3. 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

    ↩

  4. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

Edit this page