Herb: Field Eryngo


Latin name: Eryngium campestre


Family: Umbelliferae



Medicinal use of Field Eryngo:

The root is antispasmodic, aromatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, galactofuge and stimulant. It should be harvested in the autumn from plants that are at least 2 years old. The root promotes free expectoration and is very useful in the treatment of debility attendant on coughs of chronic standing in the advanced stages of pulmonary consumption. Drunk freely it is used to treat whooping cough, diseases of the liver and kidneys and skin complaints.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Dry grassy areas near the coast. A rare plant in Britain.

Edible parts of Field Eryngo:

Young shoots - cooked. An asparagus substitute. Root - cooked. Used as a vegetable or candied and used as a sweetmeat. Easily digested.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame. The seed can also be sown in spring. It usually germinates in 5 - 90 days at 20°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for 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 or autumn. Take care since the plant resents root disturbance. Root cuttings in autumn or winter.

Cultivation of Field Eryngo:

Dry grassy areas near the coast. A rare plant in Britain.

Known hazards of Eryngium campestre:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.