Potentilla erecta - Tormentil

Family:	Rosaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.3
Width:	0.2
Synonyms:	P. tormentilla.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa, W. Asia, Siberia.

Potentilla erecta (Tormentil) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.3m and a width of 0.2m . It has a hardness rating of 5and is vunerable to frost.
Tormentil will flower in December to March. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, lepidoptera

Soil Information

Tormentil 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
Tormentil prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Tormentil can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Grassland, heath, bog, fens, mountain tops and open woods[17], especially in light acid soils[165].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Suits a meadow
• Will grow in a hedge row

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in a well-drained loam, preferring a position in full sun but tolerating shade[1]. Prefers a light acid soil, disliking heavy and strongly calcareous soils[17]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
The roots are extremely rich in tannin, long boiling converts this into a gum and it can then be eaten [115]. An emergency food, it is only eaten when all else fails[177]. A tea is made from the rhizomes[183].

• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Tea - the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 3/5
Containing more tannin than oak bark, all parts of tormentil are strongly astringent, finding use wherever that action is required. This plant is considered to be one of the safest native astringents and it is widely used in herbal medicine in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, sore throats etc[4, 238, 254]. The whole plant, and especially the root, is antibiotic, strongly astringent, haemostatic and hypoglycaemic[4, 7, 9, 21, 165]. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, ulcerative colitis etc[254]. Externally, the plant makes a good styptic for cuts etc., and a strongly made decoction has been recommended as a wash for mouth ulcers, infected gums, piles and inflamed eyes[4, 254]. Extracts are used to treat chapping of the anus and cracked nipples[7]. The plant's effectiveness as a toothache remedy is undeniable and it has also been of benefit in treating bed-wetting by children[7].

• Antibiotic - An agent that inhibits or destroys a living organism. It usually refers to bacteria or other micro-organisms and is probably synonymous with Antibacterial
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Enuresis - Treats bed wetting.
• Haemostatic - Controls internal bleeding.
• Hypoglycaemic - Reduces the levels of sugar in the blood.
• Odontalgic - Treats toothache (temporary measure only) and other problems of the teeth and gums.

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in a cold frame. 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 in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

A red dye is obtained from the roots[4, 66, 115]. The plant, and especially the root, is rich in tannin[4, 7]. It s used cosmetically as a compress to tone up flabby skin[7]. The root contains up to 20% tannin[238].

• Cosmetic - Used to improve the physicalappearence of a person.
• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.
• Tannin - An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.

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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