Practical
Plants

Streptopus amplexifolius

Wild Cucumber

a perennial member of the Streptopus genus in the family Convallariaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
0.3 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

Fruit - raw or cooked in soups and stews[2][3][4]. Juicy with a cucumber flavour[6], they are reported to be slightly cathartic when growing in certain areas only[6]. The fruit is laxative if eaten in large quantities according to another report[4]. The oval berry is up to 15mm long[10]. Tender young shoots - raw in salads or cooked like asparagus[5][6][11]. A cucumber-like flavour[4][6]. Root - raw. It is sometimes used in salads for its cucumber flavour[2][5][6].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

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 fruit is cathartic[4][9]. An infusion of the stems and fruit has been used to treat 'sickness in general'[11]. The plant is tonic[11]. An infusion of the whole plant has been used to treat stomach complaints and loss of appetite[11]. A compound infusion of the plant has been used in the treatment of spitting up of blood, kidney problems and gonorrhoea[11]. The root has been chewed in order to induce labour in cases of protracted delay[11]. A compound infusion of the root has been used as an analgesic in the treatment of internal pain[11].

Product or use
Analgesic
Product or use
Appetizer
Product or use
Cathartic
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Kidney
Product or use
Oxytoxic
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
VD

Material uses

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

The plant has been tied to the clothes, body or hair and used as a scent[11].

Product or use
Incense

Environment

Range
Europe to E. Asia and N. America - Alaska to North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan and New Mexico.
Habitat
Wet sub-alpine woods[13][7]. Moist woods and thickets[12][13]
Light
partial sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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 - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the summer[8]. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as soon as it is received. The seed, especially if it has been stored, can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 18 months or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a shady part of the greenhouse or cold frame. It will normally take 2 or more growing seasons before the roots are large enough to plant out - this is best done when the plant is dormant in the autumn. Division as the plant comes into growth in early spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first year, planting them out in the following spring.

Cultivation

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

Requires a cool leafy soil in shade or partial shade[7]. Thrives in a moist light soil containing organic matter[1]. Hardy to at least -20°c. A polymorphic species, there are many sub-species[12].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  9. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

    ↩

  10. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  12. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  13. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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