Herb: Swamp Saxifrage


Latin name: Saxifraga pensylvanica


Synonyms: Micranthes pensylvanica


Family: Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage Family)



Medicinal use of Swamp Saxifrage:

A poultice of the root has been used to treat sore, swollen muscles. An infusion of the roots and leaves has been used as a blood purifier. An infusion of the roots has been used to treat weak kidneys and dropsy.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
45 cm
(1 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Wet meadows, swamps, boggy thickets, prairies and seeping banks.

Edible parts of Swamp Saxifrage:

Young leaves - raw or cooked. Harvested as they are unrolling, they are used in salads or eaten as a potherb.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame in the spring. Surface sow, or only just cover the seed, and make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation of Swamp Saxifrage:

Wet meadows, swamps, boggy thickets, prairies and seeping banks.

Known hazards of Saxifraga pensylvanica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.