medicinal herbs
Seaside Ragwort
Senecio pseudo-arnica
Herb: Seaside Ragwort
Latin name: Senecio pseudo-arnica
Family: Compositae
Medicinal use of Seaside Ragwort:
A poultice of the leaves has been used to drain cuts and boils.Description of the plant:
Plant:
PerennialHeight:
50 cm(1 foot)
Flowering:
July toAugust
Habitat of the herb:
Shingle by the sea.Edible parts of Seaside Ragwort:
The fleshy stems and young leaves - cooked. Only the young plant should be used and it should be cooked. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.Propagation of the herb:
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Make sure the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer if they have grown sufficiently. Otherwise, grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out the following year after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Root cuttings in early spring.Cultivation of Seaside Ragwort:
Shingle by the sea.Known hazards of Senecio pseudo-arnica:
Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus that contains a number of plants with a cumulative poisonous effect on the liver. Some caution is advised.Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.