Saururus cernuus Swamp Lily, Lizard's Tail PFAF Plant Database

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Saururus cernuus - L.

Common Name

Swamp Lily, Lizard's Tail

Family

Saururaceae

Synonyms

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Wet soil, fresh or slightly brackish water to depth of 50cm from sea level to 500 metres[270].

Range

Eastern N. America - Rhode Island to Florida, west to Texas and Minnesota.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Saururus cernuus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft).
It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers wet soil and can grow in water.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Llez

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Llez

Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Pond; Bog Garden;

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.

Antirheumatic; Poultice; Sedative; Stomachic.

Sedative[61]. An infusion of the roots has been used as a wash in the treatment of rheumatism[257]. The root is roasted then mashed and made into a poultice to treat sore breasts[207, 222, 257]. A boiled extract of the roots is used as a poultice to heal flesh wounds[245]. The dried leaves can be made into a tea and drunk for the treatment of back and breast pains[207], it is also used in treating stomach ailments[222].

Other Uses
None known

Cultivation details

This is a plant for a boggy area of the garden, it is able to withstand temporary flooding[56]. It prefers a loamy soil[1] growing well in pond margins though it spreads vigorously[56]. It can succeed in damp sites in the woodland as well as in the bog garden[200]. Prefers a position in full sun but tolerates some shade[188]. Plants are fairly cold tolerant, but are best given a protective mulch in the winter[56]. The flowers are fragrant[245].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early autumn. Sow stored seed in late winter or early spring. Keep the pots moist by standing them in shallow water[200]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring[1, 200]. The plants spread freely and division is possible at almost any time in the growing season. Divisions taken in mid to late summer should be overwintered in pots in a cold frame and then be planted out in late spring. Regular division maintains the vigour of the plant[200].

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Expert comment

Author
L.

Botanical References
43200270

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]).

[56]Muhlberg. H. Complete Guide to Water Plants.

Deals with a wide range of plants for temperate areas (and indoor aquaria) with quite a lot of information on cultivation techniques.

[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.

[188]Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers

Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[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.

[207]Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers.

A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.

[222]Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.

A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.

An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany

Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

[270] Flora of N. America

An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.

Readers comment

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