Herb: Sea Bindweed


Latin name: Calystegia soldanella


Synonyms: Convolvulus soldanella


Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory Family)



Medicinal use of Sea Bindweed:

Antiscorbutic, diuretic, febrifuge, irritant, purgative and vermifuge.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial Climber


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
June to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Sandy and shingly sea shores and dunes.

Edible parts of Sea Bindweed:

Young shoots - cooked as a vegetable or pickled and used as a samphire substitute. Caution is advised since the plant might have a purgative effect.

Other uses of the herb:

The stems are very flexible and are used as a string for tying. Fairly strong but not long-lasting.

Propagation of Sea Bindweed:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame in a free draining compost and only just cover. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring whilst dormant.

Cultivation of the herb:

Sandy and shingly sea shores and dunes.

Known hazards of Calystegia soldanella:

This species is said to be purgative, some caution is advised.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.