Sanicula europaea - Wood Sanicle

Family:	Umbelliferae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.6
Synonyms:
Range:	Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa, the Mediterranean, E. annd W. Asia, S. Africa.

Sanicula europaea (Wood Sanicle) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.6m . It has a hardness rating of 6.
Wood Sanicle will flower in November to March. the seeds ripen from January to March
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies

Soil Information

Wood Sanicle 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
Wood Sanicle prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Wood Sanicle can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Woods, thickets and damp places, avoiding acid soils[4, 21, 31].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge
• Can spread to cover ground and will out compete weeds

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any moist moderately fertile well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade[4, 200]. Strongly dislikes poor thin soils[31]. Prefers a loamy or calcareous soil[9, 17]. The seeds are covered with little prickles, enabling them to become attached to anything that brushes against them and thus distributing the seed[4].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Leaves and young shoots - cooked. They contain saponins so should not be eaten in large quantities. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails[179].

• Leaves -

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
Wood sanicle used to be widely used as a herbal remedy and has a long-standing reputation for healing wounds and treating internal bleeding. The herb is traditionally thought to be detoxifying and has also been taken internally to treat skin problems[254]. A potentially valuable plant, but it is little used in modern herbalism[7, 254]. The leaves and the root are alterative, astringent, carminative, expectorant and vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 13, 21, 46]. The leaves are harvested in early summer and the roots in mid to late summer, they can be dried for later use[4, 7]. The herb is highly esteemed in the treatment of blood disorders, where it is usually given in combination with other herbs[4]. It is also taken internally in the treatment of bleeding in the stomach and intestines, the coughing up of blood, nosebleeds, chest and lung complaints, dysentery, diarrhoea etc[4, 254]. It can also be used as a mouth gargle for sore throats[4]. Externally, it is applied to rashes, chilblains, inflammations etc[4, 7] and an ointment made from the plant is applied to haemorrhoids[7].

• Alterative - Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Carminative - Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
• Expectorant - Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
• Vulnerary - Promotes the healing of wounds.

Propagation

Stratification improves the germination rate. If possible sow the seed in the autumn, sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. It is best to sow the seed in situ in a woodland soil under trees If seed is in short supply it is probably wise to sow it in pots of woodland soil in a shady place in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a shady position 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 it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Known Hazards

The leaves contain saponins[179]. Although toxic, saponins are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm, they are also destroyed by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Other Uses

None known

• Ground cover - Usually low growing plants that can be grown with other plants, especially shrubs and trees, to prevent the growth of weeds.

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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