Scrophularia nodosa - Knotted Figwort

Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Width:	0.3
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe, incl Britain, south and east from Norway to Spain and temperate Asia to the Yensei region.

Scrophularia nodosa (Knotted Figwort) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m and a width of 0.3m . It has a hardness rating of 7and is vunerable to frost.
Knotted Figwort will flower in December 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, wasps

Soil Information

Knotted Figwort will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary 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
Knotted Figwort prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Knotted Figwort can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Damp ground in woods, hedgebanks, by streams etc[9]. An occasional garden weed[1].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Works within dappled Shade
• Grows in a shady edge

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most moist to wet soils in full sun or partial shade[238]. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[238].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Root - cooked[4]. It smells and tastes unpleasant, but has been used in times of famine[4, 238]. There must be some doubts about the edibility of this root[K].

• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 3/5
Knotted figwort is a plant that supports detoxification of the body and it may be used as a treatment for various kinds of skin disorders[254]. The whole plant is alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, mildly purgative and stimulant[4, 9, 21, 165]. It is harvested as the plant comes into flower in the summer and can be dried for later use[4]. A decoction is applied externally to sprains, swellings, burns, inflammations etc, and is said to be useful in treating chronic skin diseases, scrofulous sores and gangrene[4, 254]. The leaves can also be applied fresh or be made into an ointment[4]. Internally, the plant is used in the treatment of chronic skin diseases (such as eczema, psoriasis and pruritis), mastitis, swollen lymph nodes and poor circulation[238]. It should not be prescribed for patients with heart conditions[238]. The root is anthelmintic[9].

• Alterative - Causes a gradual beneficial change in the body, usually through improved nutrition and elimination, without having any marked specific action.
• Anodyne - Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
• Anthelmintic - Expels parasites from the gut.
• Antiinflammatory - Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Purgative - A drastic laxative causing a cleansing or watery evacuation of the bowels, usually with a griping pain.
• 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[238]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed then it can be sown outdoors in situ in the autumn or the spring. 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

None known

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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