Herb: Drias Plant


Latin name: Thapsia garganica


Synonyms: Thapsia decussata


Family: Umbelliferae



Medicinal use of Drias Plant:

The root is diuretic, emetic and purgative. A resin is extracted with alcohol from the bark of the root. The plant has been considered specific in treating pain, though caution is advised since it is poisonous to some mammals. The plant is also strongly rubefacient, producing blisters and intense itching.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
120 cm
(4 feet)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Rocky places, fields and sunny slopes.

Other uses of Drias Plant:

Yields a resin that is used in plasters. No further details are given.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Root cuttings.

Cultivation of Drias Plant:

Rocky places, fields and sunny slopes.

Known hazards of Thapsia garganica:

The resin in the sap can cause skin irritation.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.