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Cleome viscosa - L.

Tickweed

Author	L.	Botanical references	200
Family	Capparidaceae	Genus	Cleome
Synonyms	Polanisia viscosa - (L.)DC.
Known Hazards	None known
Range	Pantropical.
Habitat	Sandy and freely draining soils in open woodland scrub and on scree slopes in dry areas[200].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Annual growing to 1.5m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves.

Edible Uses: Condiment; Oil.

Leaves and young shoots - cooked as a vegetable[272]. A sharp mustard-like flavour[183]. The pungent seed can be pickled or used as a mustard substitute in curries[183, 272]. The seedpods are made into pickles[183]. The juice of the plant is used as a condiment[183]. An oil obtained from the seeds is used for cooking[272].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Anthelmintic; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Rubefacient; Stimulant.

The leaves are diaphoretic, rubefacient and vesicant[240]. They are used as an external application to wounds and ulcers[240]. The juice of the leaves has been used to relieve earache[240]. The seeds are anthelmintic, carminative, rubefacient, stimulant and vesicant[240, 272]. The seed contains 0.1% viscosic acid and 0.04% viscosin[240]. A paste of the root is applied externally in the treatment of earaches[272].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a light fertile soil in a warm dry sunny position with plenty of room to spread[200]. A frost tender plant, it can be grown as a summer annual in Britain[200].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow or only lightly cover the seed in spring in a greenhouse[164]. The seed usually germinates in 5 - 14 days at 25°c[164]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring. Day time temperatures below 20°c depress germination but a night time fall to 20° is necessary[164].

Links

References

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[272] Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Cleome viscosa

yogini Thu Apr 21 05:58:46 2005

Link: yahoo plant

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