Eryngium campestre Field Eryngo PFAF Plant Database

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Eryngium campestre - L.

Common Name

Field Eryngo

Family

Apiaceae or Umbelliferae

Synonyms

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Dry grassy areas near the coast[17]. A rare plant in Britain.

Range

Central and southern Europe, including Britain, from N. Germany to N. Africa and Afghanistan.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Eryngium campestre is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, self.The plant is self-fertile.

Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.


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Habitats
Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root. Edible Uses: Young shoots - cooked. An asparagus substitute[105, 177, 183]. Root - cooked. Used as a vegetable or candied and used as a sweetmeat[46, 183]. Easily digested[7, 61].

Medicinal Uses

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Antispasmodic; Aromatic; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Galactofuge; Stimulant.

The root is antispasmodic, aromatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, galactofuge and stimulant[4, 7]. It should be harvested in the autumn from plants that are at least 2 years old[4]. The root promotes free expectoration and is very useful in the treatment of debility attendant on coughs of chronic standing in the advanced stages of pulmonary consumption[4]. Drunk freely it is used to treat whooping cough, diseases of the liver and kidneys and skin complaints[4, 238].

Other Uses
None known

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position[1]. Prefers a light sandy soil but tolerates most soil types including lime and poor gravels[200]. The plant has deep and wide-ranging roots, it can spread freely in the garden and become difficult to eradicate[4]. Plants should be put in their final position whilst small since they resent root disturbance[200]. The plant is often used in dried flower arrangements since it retains its colour for a long time[7].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame[200]. The seed can also be sown in spring. It usually germinates in 5 - 90 days at 20°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on 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 early spring or autumn. Take care since the plant resents root disturbance[200]. Root cuttings in autumn or winter[200].

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Expert comment

Author
L.

Botanical References
17200

Links / References

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.

Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.

Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.

A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.

An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.

The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.

An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.

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.

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.

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.

Readers comment

Elizabeth H.
mervyn brown	Thu Jul 8 16:05:16 2004

E. campestre is easy to cultivate in well-drained soils, but in a location I have studied in the wild, it performs poorly due to rabbit-grazing. At this site in Kent, England, there is no evidence of the viable seed germinating in the wild.

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