Herb: Flax-Leaved Daphne


Latin name: Daphne gnidium


Family: Thymelaeaceae (Mezereum Family)



Medicinal use of Flax-Leaved Daphne:

The plant contains toxic compounds that are being investigated for anti-leukaemia effects.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
June
to July

Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Grows with other evergreen shrubs on shallow, stony soils, often on hillsides.

Propagation of Flax-Leaved Daphne:

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe with the pot sealed in a polythene bag to hold in the moisture. Remove this bag as soon as germination takes place. The seed usually germinates better if it is harvested "green" (when it has fully developed but before it dries on the plant) and sown immediately. Germination should normally take place by spring, though it sometimes takes a further year. Stored seed is more problematic. It should be warm stratified for 8 - 12 weeks at 20°C followed by 12 - 14 weeks at 3°C. Germination may still take another 12 months or more at 15°C. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first winter and then plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Root cuttings, December in a greenhouse.

Cultivation of the herb:

Grows with other evergreen shrubs on shallow, stony soils, often on hillsides.

Known hazards of Daphne gnidium:

All parts of the plant are poisonous. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in some people.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.