Herb: Rupture Wort


Latin name: Herniaria glabra


Family: Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family, Starwort Family)



Medicinal use of Rupture Wort:

The whole plant, gathered when in flower, is astringent, very actively diuretic and expectorant. It appears to have an antispasmodic effect upon the bladder and is used in the treatment of dropsy, catarrh of the bladder, cystitis and kidney stones. It has also gained a reputation for treating hernias. Externally, it has been used as a poultice to speed the healing of ulcers.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Biennial/Perennial


Height:
2 cm
(0.8 inch)

Flowering:
July


Scent:
Scented
Biennial/Perennial

Habitat of the herb:

A rare and local plant of dry sandy areas in south Devon and eastern England.

Other uses of Rupture Wort:

A good ground cover plant, allowing spring bulbs to grow through it. An aqueous extract of the plant is a hand cleanser, making the skin soft and supple.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. 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.

Cultivation of Rupture Wort:

A rare and local plant of dry sandy areas in south Devon and eastern England.

Known hazards of Herniaria glabra:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.