Herb latin name: Phillyrea latifolia


Synonyms: Phillyrea media


Family: Oleaceae (Olive Family)



Medicinal use of Phillyrea latifolia:

Diuretic, emmenagogue. Also used as a mouthwash.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
8 m
(26 feet)

Flowering:
April
to May

Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of the herb:

Evergreen thickets and rocky slopes, mainly on limestone.

Edible parts of Phillyrea latifolia:

Fruit - olive-like. It is possibly edible. The fruit is an ovoid drupe about 6mm in diameter with a single seed.

Other uses of the herb:

Bears pruning well and can be grown as a hedge, tolerating maritime exposure though it is fairly slow growing. Any trimming is best carried out in the spring. Wood - fine grained. Used in turner. An excellent charcoal is obtained from the stems.

Propagation of Phillyrea latifolia:

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. 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. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Takes 15 months. High percentage. Layering in autumn. Takes 12 months.

Cultivation of the herb:

Evergreen thickets and rocky slopes, mainly on limestone.

Known hazards of Phillyrea latifolia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.