Veronicastrum axillare — Practical Plants

Taxonomy and growth

Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Veronicastrum
Life cycle: perennial
Height: 1.8 m
Fertility: self fertile
Flower type: hermaphrodite
Pollinators: Insects

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.

The whole plant is antiphlogistic and depurative^[1]. It stimulates blood circulation and tissue repair^[1]. A decoction is used internally, or the plant can be crushed and applied externally, in the treatment of epidemic mumps, infected boils, ascites, rheumatoid arthralgia and traumatic injuries^[1].

Product or use: Antiphlogistic

Product or use: Depurative

Environment

Range: E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat: Hillsides and gully edges^[1]. Forests, grasslands at forest margins, shaded places in valleys at low elevations^[4].
Light: full sun
Shade tolerance: no shade
Water: moderate
Soil textures: sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH: acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage: well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil: No
Drought: intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow autumn in a cold frame^[3]. 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 quantity the seed can be sown outdoors in situ in the autumn or the spring. Division in autumn or spring^[3]. 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 until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know how hardy it will be in British gardens, though judging by its native range it is likely to succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Easily grown in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil^[3]. Prefers cool summers^[3]. Prefers a sunny position^[2].

Veronicastrum sibiricumBlackroot
Veronicastrum virginicumBeaumont's Root
Agalinis tenuifoliaSlenderleaf False Foxglove
Antirrhinum majusSnapdragon

References

? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
↩
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Flora of China
↩