Cicuta virosa - Cowbane

Family:	Umbelliferae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1.2
Synonyms:
Range:	Northern and central Europe, including Britain, east to Japan.

Cicuta virosa (Cowbane) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1.2m . It has a hardness rating of 0.
Cowbane will flower in January to February. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies

Soil Information

Cowbane will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Cowbane prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Cowbane can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Ditches, muddy waters and marshes[9, 13, 17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Prefers a moist or wet acid soil[13].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
One report says that the boiled leaves have been eaten[257]. This is very unwise, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The root is analgesic, antispasmodic, emetic, galactofuge and sedative[4, 9]. The whole plant is highly toxic and is not used in herbal medicine[9]. A homeopathic remedy has been made from this plant in the past[9]. It was used in the treatment of epilepsy, meningitis and other ailments affecting the brain[9].

• Analgesic - Relieves pain.
• Antispasmodic - Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
• Emetic - Induces vomiting.
• Galactofuge - Stops or reduces the flow of milk in a nursing mother.
• Sedative - Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, outdoor sowings in situ could be tried in the spring and the autumn.

Known Hazards

A very poisonous plant[10, 13, 19], even a small bite can be lethal[65]. The active ingredient is called cicutoxin, it is a spasmodic with a high toxicity to the central nervous system. It causes death by respiratory paralysis[240].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

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