Back to main Search Page

Daphne laureola - L.

Spurge Laurel

Author	L.	Botanical references	11, 17, 200
Family	Thymelaeaceae	Genus	Daphne
Synonyms
Known Hazards	All parts of the plant are poisonous[200]. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in some people[65, 200].
Range	Western and southern Europe, from Britain and Belgium to Spain and Macedonia, N. Africa, W. Asia.
Habitat	Woods, mainly on calcareous soils, where it is widespread and rather common[17].
Edibility Rating	0 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	1 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 1m.

The plant prefers medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Deep Shade;

Edible Uses

None known

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.

Abortifacient; Cancer; Emetic; Emmenagogue; Purgative.

The leaves have been used as an emmenagogue, though they can cause purging and vomiting[4]. Both the leaves and the bark have been used to procure abortions[4]. The plant contains various toxic compounds and these are currently being investigated (1995) for anti-leukaemia effects[238].

Other Uses

None known

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers are sweetly scented.

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist soil and a position in semi-shade, growing well in woodlands[11]. Plants are often found growing in dense shade in the wild[245]. A good sandy loam suits most members of this genus[11]. Flowers are produced towards the ends of the previous year's growth[11]. They are sweetly scented[245]. Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible[188].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe with the pot sealed in a polythene bag to hold in the moisture. Remove this bag as soon as germination takes place[164]. The seed usually germinates better if it is harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it dries on the plant) and sown immediately. Germination should normally take place by spring, though it sometimes takes a further year. Stored seed is more problematic. It should be warm stratified for 8 - 12 weeks at 20°c followed by 12 - 14 weeks at 3°c. Germination may still take another 12 months or more at 15°c[164]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first winter and then plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.

Links

References

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[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.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[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.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

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.

Daphne laureola

Corrie McAliley Thu Aug 30 2007

PLEASE, remember that this plant is not native to North America and do not grow it here, it has escaped in the PNW and is damaging ecosystems there, outcompeting native forage plants that wildlife need. Please remember that plants can escape and then be there forever.

Daphne laureola

Denver Carere Fri Jul 17 2009

I second Corrie's comment. I am work right now researching methods of dealing with Daphne, it is one of the most invasive species in the Pacific Northwest, please do not plant it.

Add a comment/link:

Discussion Monitor

To have posts to this page mailed to you enter your email address here:

(Your email address will not appear on the webpage or be passed on to third parties).