Cryptotaenia canadensis - Honewort

Family:	Umbelliferae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Width:	0.6
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern N. America - Western New Brunswick to Manitoba and south to Alabama. Arkansas and Texas.

Cryptotaenia canadensis (Honewort) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m and a width of 0.6m . It has a hardness rating of 5.
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects

Soil Information

Honewort 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
Honewort prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Rich woods and thickets[43]. Woodland ravines and riverbanks[238].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in a rich moist soil, preferring to grow in dappled shade[200, 238]. Closely related to C. japonica, a species that is cultivated as a vegetable in Japan[43, K]. This species is being cultivated in America to supply the Japanese market with a chervil-like herb[218]. Slugs are extremely fond of this plant, especially when the new growth emerges in spring[K].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Young leaves, stems and flowers - raw or cooked[105, 177]. Used as a potherb or added to salads[183]. A flavour that is somewhat like celery[238], if you use your imagination[K]. Root - cooked[177, 183]. The seeds are used as a flavouring for cakes, breads and biscuits[183].

• Flowers -
• Leaves -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Stem - this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Seed - sow April in a greenhouse. Germination is usually rapid, prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. The ideal temperature for sowing is about 25°c, though seed does germinate at higher and lower temperatures[206]. Seed can also be sown in early autumn[206]. Division in spring or autumn.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Gray's Manual of Botany.
Fernald. M. L.
Author: Fernald. M. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
Date of Publication : 1950

Flora Europaea
?
Author: ?
Rating:
Publisher : An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1964

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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