Mertensia ciliata - Mountain Bell

Family:	Boraginaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.8
Width:	0.3
Synonyms:
Range:	South-western N. America - Oregon to New Mexico.

Mertensia ciliata (Mountain Bell) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.8m and a width of 0.3m . It has a hardness rating of 4.
Mountain Bell will flower in November to January. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Mountain Bell 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
Mountain Bell prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Mountain Bell can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Streambanks, wet meadows, damp thickets and wet cliffs from the foothills to high elevations in the mountains[60, 172].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in an ordinary garden soil with some shade[1, 111]. Requires a moist peaty soil in full sun or light shade[187]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c[187]. A very ornamental plant[1].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Flowers - raw[172]. Leaves - raw or cooked[172]. The leaves are rather hairy and are not so nice when eaten raw[172].

• Flowers -
• Leaves -

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The plant is galactogogue[257]. An infusion has been used to increase the milk flow of nursing mothers[257]. An infusion of the powdered root has been used to relieve the itching caused by smallpox and measles[257].

• Antipruritic - Treats itching of the skin.
• Galactogogue - Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[1, 200]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. Protect from direct sunlight[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division, with care, in early spring or autumn[200].

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Hitchcock. C. L.
Author: Hitchcock. C. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1955

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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