Polygala senega - Senega Snake Root

Family:	Polygalaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.3
Width:	0.3
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern N. America - New Brunswick to Hudson Bay, south to North Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas.

Polygala senega (Senega Snake Root) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.3m and a width of 0.3m . It has a hardness rating of 2.
Senega Snake Root will flower in December. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Senega Snake Root 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
Senega Snake Root prefers either dry or moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Senega Snake Root can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Rocky hills and woods on dry and mainly calcareous soils[4, 21, 43].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds

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. The sub-species P. senega latifolia. Torr.&Gray. is cultivated as a medicinal plant in Japan[174].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 3/5
Seneca snake root was employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes, who used it to treat a variety of complaints[257]. It is still used in modern herbalism where it is valued mainly as an expectorant and stimulant to treat bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and whooping cough[254].The root contains triterpenoid saponins, these promote the clearing of phlegm from the bronchial tubes. The root is antidote, cathartic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant, sialagogue, stimulant[4, 21, 46, 165, 222, 238]. It was used by the North American Indians in the treatment of snake bites[4, 46] and has been found of use in the treatment of various respiratory problems including pleurisy and pneumonia[4, 257]. The root is harvested when the plant dies down in autumn and is dried for later use[4]. Use with caution[4, 21], excess doses cause diarrhoea and vomiting[238]. See also the notes above on toxicity. A tea made from the bark has been drunk in order to bring about a miscarriage[213]. The dried root is used as a stimulating expectorant - it is said to owe its medicinal value to the presence of saponins and in large doses is poisonous[213]. The root is harvested in the autumn[213]. The root has been used to treat snakebites, it is chewed and applied to the bite[213].

• Abortifacient - Causes an abortion.
• Antidote - Counters poisoning.
• Cathartic - A strong laxative but less violent than a purgative.
• Diaphoretic - Induces perspiration.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emetic - Induces vomiting.
• Expectorant - Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
• Sialagogue - Stimulates the secretion of saliva.
• Stimulant - Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.

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

The plant is poisonous in large quantities, causing violent purging and vomiting[4, 21].

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

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

An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Author: Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
Date of Publication : 1970

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