Herb: Single Delight


Latin name: Moneses uniflora


Synonyms: Moneses grandiflora, Pyrola uniflora


Family: Pyrolaceae (Wintergreen Family)



Medicinal use of Single Delight:

An infusion of the dried plant has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds. The plant has been chewed, and the juice swallowed, as a treatment for sore throat. A poultice of the leaves has been used to draw out the pus from boils and abscesses, to draw blisters, to help reduce swellings and also to relieve pain.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
10 cm
(4 inches)

Flowering:
June to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Pine woods, the margins of moist woods in shady mossy places often in a bed of pine needles, avoiding calcareous soils.

Edible parts of Single Delight:

Fruit. No more details are given. The fruit is a capsule about 8cm wide. Seed - raw or cooked.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - the only information we have on this species is that it is difficult from seed and germinates infrequently. We would suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. Sow it into soil collected from around an established plant, only just covering the seed, and put the pot in a shady part of a cold frame. Pot up any young seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, once again using soil from around an established plant. Plant out into their permanent positions when the plants are large enough. You should not need to use soil from around an established plant to do this since the soil in the pot will contain the necessary micorrhiza. Division with great care in the spring. Pot up the divisions using some soil from around an established plant, grow on in a lightly shaded part of a greenhouse or frame and do not plant out until the plants are growing away vigorously.

Cultivation of Single Delight:

Pine woods, the margins of moist woods in shady mossy places often in a bed of pine needles, avoiding calcareous soils.

Known hazards of Moneses uniflora:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.