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Bassia scoparia
  • Summer Cypress

an annual member of the Bassia genus in the family Chenopodiaceae.

Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Loamy
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 6
    Zone 6
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Bassia scoparia has 0 edible uses listed
Bassia scoparia has 0 material uses listed
Bassia scoparia has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Toxic parts

Plants contain some saponins and should not be eaten in large quantities. Saponins are a toxin found in many of our daily foods such as many beans. They are usually present in quantities too small to be concerned about and are also very poorly absorbed by the body, tending to pass straight through without causing any problems. 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

Notes

Young leaves - cooked[1][2]. A delicious taste, they are used as a vegetable[3]. A nutritional analysis is available[4]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - dried and ground into a powder then mixed with cereals when making bread, biscuits etc[5][1][2]. Very small and fiddly to use, it is also not a very reliable crop in Britain due to its late season of flowering[K]. On a zero moisture basis, the seed contains 20.4 - 27.5% protein, 8.8 - 16% fat and 3.4 - 9.4% ash[4].

Leaves

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Material uses

The whole plant is used as a broom[5][6]. The green form is used[7].

Unknown part

Broom

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

Antibacterial, antifungal[8].

The leaves and fruits are cardiotonic and diuretic[4][9]. The stems are used in the treatment of dysentery, diarrhoea and dyspepsia[4].

The seed is antiphlogistic, astringent and diuretic[10][4]. It is used to treat skin infections such as eczema ad scabies, and diseases of the urinary tract[10][4][11]. The seed contains harmine, which can have adverse effects upon the gastro-intestinal tract and the central nervous system[11].

Unknown part

Antibacterial
Antifungal
Antiphlogistic
Astringent
Cardiotonic
Diuretic
Skin

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and plant out in May. The seed can also be sown in situ in late April or early May.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Bassia scoparia. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

An easily grown plant[12], it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[7]. Succeeds in any reasonably fertile light well-drained but moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[12].

A frost tender plant, it is grown as a spring-sown annual in Britain[7]. This species is cultivated in Korea for its use as a broom[6].

The subspecies B. scoparia trichophylla. (Schmeiss.)Schinz.&Thell. is the form most often found in cultivation in Britain[12].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Bassia scoparia. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Bassia scoparia.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Bassia scoparia
Genus
Bassia
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5]
Medicinal uses
[8][4][9][10][11]
Material uses & Functions
[5][6][7]
Botanic
[13][12][14]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
6
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
  • Strong wind
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
None listed.
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
?
Herbaceous or Woody
?
Life Cycle
annual
Growth Rate
?
Mature Size
0.3 x meters
Fertility
?
Pollinators
Wind
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type











References

  1. ? 1.01.11.2 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)
  2. ? 2.02.12.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
  3. ? 3.03.1 Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre (1977-00-00)
  4. ? 4.04.14.24.34.44.54.64.7 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
  5. ? 5.05.15.25.3 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
  6. ? 6.06.16.2 Wilson. E. H. and Trollope. M. N. Corean Flora. Royal Asiatic Society (1918-00-00)
  7. ? 7.07.17.27.3 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
  8. ? 8.08.1 Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre ()
  9. ? 9.09.1 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)
  10. ? 10.010.110.2 Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles (1985-00-00)
  11. ? 11.011.111.2 Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila ISBN 92 9061 120 0 (1998-00-00)
  12. ? 12.012.112.212.3 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
  13. ? Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press (1955-00-00)
  14. ? Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J [Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas] Botanical Research Institute, Texas. (1999-00-00)


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Facts about "Bassia scoparia"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyChenopodiaceae +
Belongs to genusBassia +
Has binomial nameBassia scoparia +
Has common nameSummer Cypress +
Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
Has edible partLeaves + and Seed +
Has edible useUnknown use +
Has environmental toleranceHigh wind +
Has fertility typeWind +
Has hardiness zone6 +
Has lifecycle typeAnnual +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useBroom +
Has mature height0.3 +
Has medicinal partUnknown part +
Has medicinal useAntibacterial +, Antifungal +, Antiphlogistic +, Astringent +, Cardiotonic +, Diuretic + and Skin +
Has search namebassia scoparia + and summer cypress +
Has shade toleranceNo shade +
Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil texture preferenceSandy + and Loamy +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomic rankSpecies +
Has taxonomy nameBassia scoparia +
Has water requirementsmoderate +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
PFAF cultivation notes migratedNo +
PFAF edible use notes migratedNo +
PFAF material use notes migratedNo +
PFAF medicinal use notes migratedNo +
PFAF propagation notes migratedNo +
PFAF toxicity notes migratedNo +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Tolerates windYes +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +
Has subobjectThis property is a special property in this wiki.Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia +, Bassia scoparia + and Bassia scoparia +