Herb: Mountain Bell


Latin name: Mertensia ciliata


Family: Boraginaceae (Borage Family)



Medicinal use of Mountain Bell:

The plant is galactogogue. An infusion has been used to increase the milk flow of nursing mothers. An infusion of the powdered root has been used to relieve the itching caused by smallpox and measles.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
80 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Streambanks, wet meadows, damp thickets and wet cliffs from the foothills to high elevations in the mountains.

Edible parts of Mountain Bell:

Flowers - raw. Leaves - raw or cooked. The leaves are rather hairy and are not so nice when eaten raw.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. Protect from direct sunlight. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse 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, with care, in early spring or autumn.

Cultivation of Mountain Bell:

Streambanks, wet meadows, damp thickets and wet cliffs from the foothills to high elevations in the mountains.

Known hazards of Mertensia ciliata:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.