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Saxifraga pensylvanica - L.

Common Name

Swamp Saxifrage

Family

Saxifragaceae

Synonyms

Micranthes pensylvanica.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Wet meadows, swamps, boggy thickets, prairies and seeping banks[43].

Range

Eastern N. America - Maine to Ontario, Minnesota, Virginia, Iowa and Missouri.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics
PERENNIAL growing to 0.4 m (1ft 6in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires moist or wet soil.

Habitats
Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves. Young leaves - raw or cooked[105, 177, 257]. Harvested as they are unrolling, they are used in salads or eaten as a potherb[183].

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.

Blood purifier; Kidney; Poultice.

A poultice of the root has been used to treat sore, swollen muscles[257]. An infusion of the roots and leaves has been used as a blood purifier[257]. An infusion of the roots has been used to treat weak kidneys and dropsy[257].

Other Uses
None known

Cultivation details
Prefers an open soil[1]. Does well in a shady position in a wild garden[1]. Plants grow best in cool woodland conditions[233].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame in the spring. Surface sow, or only just cover the seed, and make sure that the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. 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.

Expert comment

Author
L.

Botanical References
43235

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]).

[43]Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany.

A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[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.

[233]Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants

A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[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.

Readers comment

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Subject : Saxifraga pensylvanica

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