Scrophularia umbrosa - Water Betony

Family:	Scrophulariaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1.5
Synonyms:	S. alata. S. aquatica. L. (name ambiguous). S. neesii.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, south and east from S. Sweden to France, Palestine and Asia to Tibet.

Scrophularia umbrosa (Water Betony) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1.5m . It has a fast growth rate. It has a hardness rating of 7.
Water Betony 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

Water Betony 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
Water Betony prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Water Betony can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Damp shady ground, usually near water[4, 17]. 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
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most moist soils. A good bee plant[4].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Root - cooked[2, 105]. 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
The leaves are detergent and vulnerary[4]. They are harvested as the plant comes into flower and can be used fresh or dried for later use[4]. The plant has a good reputation as a wound herb, either applied externally as a poultice or taken as a decoction[4]. Water betony is said to have similar medicinal properties to the knotted figwort, S. nodosa[254]. These properties are as follows:- 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].

• Detergent - A cleansing agent, used on wounds etc. It removes dead and diseased matter.
• Vulnerary - Promotes the healing of wounds.

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

The plant is probably poisonous to cows[76].

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

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