Herb: Sandwort


Latin name: Spergularia rubra


Synonyms: Arenaria campestris, Arenaria rubra, Buda rubra


Family: Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family, Starwort Family)



Medicinal use of Sandwort:

The leaves are diuretic and lithontripic. The plant contains a resinous aromatic substance that is probably the active principle. An infusion is thought to relax the muscle walls of the urinary tubules and so it is used in the treatment of kidney stones, acute and chronic cystitis and catarrh of the bladder.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Annual/Biennial


Height:
25 cm
(9 3/4 inch)

Flowering:
May to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Open gravelly or sandy habitats. Sand dunes, heaths and coastal cliffs.

Edible parts of Sandwort:

Seed - cooked. Dried and ground into a meal then used with flour for making bread etc. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. Some seed germinates in the autumn in the wild while some germinates in the spring.

Cultivation of Sandwort:

Open gravelly or sandy habitats. Sand dunes, heaths and coastal cliffs.

Known hazards of Spergularia rubra:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.