Polygala vulgaris - Milkwort

Family:	Polygalaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.35
Synonyms:	P. oxyptera.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia.

Polygala vulgaris (Milkwort) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.35m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
Milkwort will flower in November to March. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

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
Milkwort prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Milkwort can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Grassland on heaths, dunes etc[17], on acidic and alkaline soils[214].

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. A very polymorphic species[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
The leaves are used as a tea substitute[177]. They are used to adulterate green China tea[2].

• Tea - the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The bitter-tasting milkwort has a reputation for increasing milk flow in nursing mothers, but this belief is in fact unfounded[254]. Whilst little used in modern herbalism, the root and aerial parts of the plant contain triterpenoid saponins which promote the clearing of phlegm from the bronchial tubes and so is a valuable herb for the treatment of respiratory problems such as chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and convulsive coughs such as whooping cough[254]. The plant is also thought to have sweat-inducing and diuretic properties[254].

• Diaphoretic - Induces perspiration.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Expectorant - Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
• 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

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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