Herb: Culen


Latin name: Psoralea glandulosa


Family: Leguminosae



Medicinal use of Culen:

Astringent, cathartic, digestive, febrifuge, skin, vermifuge. The leaves are anthelmintic and tonic. The root is emetic.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
May to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Humid areas between Coquimbo and Valdivia in Chile, but it is never abundant.

Edible parts of Culen:

The leaves are used as a tea substitute. A delicious carbonated beverage can be made from the boiled leaves. The young shoots are used in making a refreshing cold drink. It is very good.

Propagation of the herb:

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in early to mid spring in a greenhouse. as soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the cold frame 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, July/August in a frame.

Cultivation of Culen:

Humid areas between Coquimbo and Valdivia in Chile, but it is never abundant.

Known hazards of Psoralea glandulosa:

Although no specific mention of toxicity for this species has been found, at least some members of this genus contain furanocoumarins, these substances can cause photosensitivity in some people.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.