Polygala amara - Bitter Milkwort

Family:	Polygalaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.15
Synonyms:	P. amarella Crantz. P. austriaca. P. uliginosa.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, south and east from Norway.

Polygala amara (Bitter Milkwort) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.15m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
Bitter Milkwort will flower in December to February. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects

Soil Information

Bitter Milkwort will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important 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
Bitter Milkwort prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Bitter Milkwort can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Grassland and damp mountain pastures, especially on chalk[9, 17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

Prefers a moderately fertile moisture-retentive well-drained soil, succeeding in full sun if the soil remains moist throughout the growing season, otherwise it is best in semi-shade[200]. Dislikes shade according to another report.

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The herb is bitter, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, mildly expectorant, galactogogue[9, 21]. An infusion is used to treat stomach upsets, bladder and kidney disorders etc[9]. The plant is harvested as it comes into flower and dried for later use[9].

• Bitter - Increases the appetite and stimulates digestion by acting on the mucous membranes of the mouth. Also increases the flow of bile, stimulates repair of the gut wall lining and regulates the secretion of insulin and glucogen.
• Diaphoretic - Induces perspiration.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emollient - Softens the skin, causing warmth and moisture.
• Expectorant - Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
• Galactogogue - Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame[214]. 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. Division. Cuttings of young shoots in a frame in late spring[1].

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, at least one member of this genus is said to be poisonous in large quantities.

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

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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