Plant used for/Strewing
Please add more about plants that are used for Strewing here!
- Spread around areas for fragrance or to repel pests.
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Here is EcoReality's seed inventory for plants that are used as Strewing:
|ID||common name||family||latin name||date||quantity||action||days to germ||propagation||days to maturity||habitat||sun||drainage||soil||inventory||notes||nutrients||needs||use|
|323||Chamomile||Asteraceae||Chamaemelum nobile (dg fo pf wp)||2013-06-24 00:00:00||56 each starts in greenhouse soil||transplant||Seed - sow March in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed and do not let the compost dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring. Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 5cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer. Tolerates most well-drained soils, preferring a dry sandy soil and a sunny position[4, 37, 200]. Tolerates partial shade. Established plants are drought tolerant. Can be grown in grass. Tolerates a pH in the range 6.8 to 8. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c. They often deteriorate in very wet or cold winters, but usually recover quickly in the spring and early summer. Chamomile is commonly grown in the domestic herb garden, it is also cultivated commercially for its flowers which are used in herb teas and medicinally. The double-flowered form is highly regarded for its medicinal virtues. Plants can be invasive when growing in good conditions, though they are easy to control[K]. There is some confusion between this plant (which is a perennial) and the annual chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) as to which is the genuine medicinal chamomile. Some reports say that this plant is the most effective herbally, whilst others says that Matricaria is more potent. Both plants seem to have very similar properties and either can probably be used quite successfully. Camomile is a very good companion plant, promoting the health of plants it is growing close to, it is especially good for growing near cabbages, onions and, in small quantities, wheat[4, 14, 20, 54, 201, 238]. The cultivar 'Treneague' is a low-growing non-flowering form that makes an excellent ground cover. Fairly tolerant of being walked on, it is sometimes used instead of grass for making a lawn though it is more difficult to maintain and can become weed infested, especially in its early stages. It also tends to become bare in places. The whole plant has a pungent aroma, this being especially noticeable on hot days or when the plant is bruised.||Ground Cover; Lawn; Cultivated Beds; East Wall. In. South Wall. In. West Wall. In.||sun or partial shade||well drained||poor||Camomile is a common herb with a long history of safe and effective medicinal use - it is widely used as a household herbal remedy. It is particularly useful as a remedy for various problems of the digestive system, as a sedative and a nervine, it is especially suited for young children[4, 20, 21]. A tea is made from the flowers and this should be prepared in a closed vessel to prevent loss of the essential oils. The flowers are anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, nervine, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator[4, 14, 21, 37, 165, 201]. The single-flowered form is the most potent medicinally, though it can in large doses damage the lining of the stomach and bowels. For this reason, the double-flowered form is usually preferred since this contains less of the alkaloid that causes the problem. The flowers are gathered in the summer when they are fully open and are distilled for their oil or dried for later use. They should not be stored for longer than 12 months. The whole herb is used to make a lotion for external application in the treatment of toothache, earache, neuralgia etc. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Soothing'. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Chamaemelum nobile for coughs and bronchitis, fevers and colds, inflammations of the skin, inflammation of the mouth and pharynx, tendency to infection - improve immunity, wounds and burns (see  for critics of commission E).
An infusion of the flowers is used as a hair shampoo, especially for fair hair[14, 20, 168]. It is also used as a liquid feed and general plant tonic, effective against a number of plant diseases[18, 20, 201]. It has fungicidal properties and its use is said to prevent damping off in seedlings. The flowers are an ingredient of 'QR' herbal compost activator. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost[K]. The whole plant was formerly used as a strewing herb[4, 168]. The whole plant is insect repellent both when growing and when dried[14, 20]. An essential oil from the whole plant is used as a flavouring and in perfumery. Yellow to gold dyes are obtained from the flowers. The plant makes a very good ground cover and can also be used as an edging plant. It does tend to become bare in patches.
|Anodyne, Antiinflammatory, Antispasmodic, Aromatherapy, Compost, Dye, Essential, Food, Fungicide, Insect repellant, Nervine, Stomachic, Strewing, Tonic, Vasodilator|
|56||Pennyroyal||Lamiaceae||Mentha pulegium (dg fo pf wp)||2012-04-07 00:00:00||520 each seeds in||plant||DIVISION: Preferred propagation, as menthas cross readily and seed will not breed true reliably. Also, even in true M. pulegium, medicinal value differs widely between plants. Find the ones you like, and divide them to propagate clones. Divide any time of year. SEED: Sow spring in cold frame. Sow on surface in spring. Space plants 6 inches apart.||Plant prefers moist garden soil, areas that puddle up and then go dry, the edge of a stream or ditch, or the margin of a pond. Grow in containers if the spreading habit of this plant makes you uncomfortable, but the rest of us let it go where it will, as it is self-limiting when it meets -- dry soil.||sun or partial shade||seasonal flooding||poor||100 each||Herbaceous or in warmer zones evergreen perennial native to Europe. One of the smallest of the mints, it creeps around in moist places and sends up its pretty flowering tops to a height of only about a foot, in the summer. Pennyroyal makes a bright tea that is well appreciated by many, but it should never be used during pregnancy.||Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Carminative, Detergent, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Fragrance, Insect Repellant, Insectiary, Sedative, Stimulant, Strewing, Uterine tonic|
|322||Spearmint||Lamiaceae||Mentha spicata (dg fo pf wp)||2013-06-24 00:00:00||56 each starts in greenhouse soil||transplant||Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer. Mentha species are very prone to hybridisation and so the seed cannot be relied on to breed true. Even without hybridisation, seedlings will not be uniform and so the content of medicinal oils etc will vary. When growing plants with a particular aroma it is best to propagate them by division[K]. Division can be easily carried out at almost any time of the year, though it is probably best done in the spring or autumn to allow the plant to establish more quickly. Virtually any part of the root is capable of growing into a new plant. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. However, for maximum increase it is possible to divide the roots up into sections no more than 3cm long and pot these up in light shade in a cold frame. They will quickly become established and can be planted out in the summer.||Woodland garden sunny edge; dappled shade; shady edge; cultivated beds||partial shade||moist||clay||Antiemetic, Antiseptic, Cancer, Carminative, Diuretic, Essential, Insect Repellant, Poultice, Restorative, Stimulant, Stomachic, Strewing|
|81||Woodruff, Sweet; Woodderowffe||Rubiaceae||Galium odoratum (dg fo pf wp)||2013-04-27 00:00:00||other||Seed: best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe in late summer. The seed can also be sown in spring though it may be very slow to germinate. A period of cold stratification helps reduce the germination time. Lots of leafmold in the soil and the shade of trees also improves germination rates.
Division: in spring. The plant can also be successfully divided throughout the growing season if the divisions are kept moist until they are established. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Cuttings of soft wood, after flowering, in a frame.
Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade. Tolerates dry soils but the leaves quickly become scorched when growing in full sun. This species does not thrive in a hot climate. Prefers a moist calcareous soil. Dislikes very acid soils. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.3. This species is very tolerant of atmospheric pollution and grows well in towns.
A very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -25°c.
Sweet woodruff is occasionally cultivated in the herb garden for its medicinal and other uses. The dried foliage has the sweet scent of newly mown hay. A very ornamental plant but it spreads rapidly and can be invasive. However, this is rarely to the detriment of other plants since these are normally able to grow through it.It does no harm to any plants more than 60cm tall.
|full shade||moist||30 each||Perennial creeping ground cover. Excellent choice for low light areas, the plant is spreading, white-flowered, and highly aromatic. Ingredient in ales of old (and old ales).
Sweet woodruff was widely used in herbal medicine during the Middle Ages, gaining a reputation as an external application to wounds and cuts and also taken internally in the treatment of digestive and liver problems. In current day herbalism it is valued mainly for its tonic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory affect. An infusion is used in the treatment of insomnia and nervous tension, varicose veins, biliary obstruction, hepatitis and jaundice.
The plant is harvested just before or as it comes into flower and can be dried for later use. The dried plant contains coumarins and these act to prevent the clotting of blood - though in excessive doses it can cause internal bleeding. The plant is grown commercially as a source of coumarin, used to make an anticoagulant drug.
A number of species in this genus contain asperuloside, a substance that produces coumarin and gives the scent of new-mown hay as the plant dries. Asperuloside can be converted into prostaglandins (hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels), making the genus of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. A homeopathic remedy made from the plant is used in the treatment of inflammation of the uterus.
Edible: Leaves, raw or cooked. The leaves are coumarin-scented (like freshly mown hay), they are used as a flavouring in cooling drinks and are also added to fruit salads etc.
The leaves are soaked in white wine to make 'Maitrank', an aromatic tonic drink that is made in Alsace. A fragrant and delicious tea is made from the green-dried leaves and flowers. Slightly wilted leaves are used, the tea has a fresh, grassy flavour. The sweet-scented flowers are eaten or used as a garnish.
A red dye is obtained from the root. Soft-tan and grey-green dyes are obtained from the stems and leaves.A good ground-cover plant for growing on woodland edges or in the cool shade of shrubs. It spreads rapidly at the roots. It is an ideal carpeting plant for bulbs to grow through. Although the fresh plant has very little aroma, as it dries it becomes very aromatic with the scent of newly-mown grass and then retains this aroma for years. It is used in the linen cupboard to protect from moths etc. It was also formerly used as a strewing herb and is an ingredient of pot-pourri. It was also hung up in bunches in the home in order to keep the rooms cool and fragrant during the summertime.
|Antispasmodic, Beverage, Cardiac, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Dye, Fragrance, Homeopathy, Insect Repellant, Seasoning, Sedative, Strewing|
|282||Wormwood||Asteraceae||Artemisia absinthium (dg fo pf wp)||2013-04-26 00:00:00||100 each seeds in||plant||180||Seed: surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates within 2 - 26 weeks at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. They can be planted out in the summer, or kept in pots in a cold frame for the winter and then planted out in the spring.
Cuttings: half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Division: in spring or autumn.Succeeds in any soil, but best in poor, dry, warm soil, which also promotes longevity and aroma.
|sun or partial shade||well drained||poor||0 each||Inhibits growth of fennel, sage, caraway, anise, and most young plants, especially in wet years [14, 18, 20].
Good companion to carrots, protecting them from root fly.
Deerproof, attracts dogs.
Fresh or dried shoots repel insects and mice. An infusion discourages slugs and insects.
Valued especially for its tonic effect on the liver, gallbladder and digestive system, and for its vermicidal activity[4, 238, 254].
Extremely useful medicine for those with weak and under-active digestion. It increases stomach acid and bile production, improving digestion and the absorption of nutrients. It also eases wind and bloating and, if taken regularly, helps the body return to full vitality after a prolonged illness.
The leaves and flowering shoots are anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitumor, carminative, cholagogue, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypnotic, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vermifuge[4, 9, 21, 46, 165, 222, 254].
Harvested as it is coming into flower and then dried for later use. Use with caution, the plant should be taken internally in small doses for short-term treatment only, preferably under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. It should not be prescribed for children or pregnant women.
The extremely bitter leaves are chewed to stimulate the appetite. The bitter taste on the tongue sets off a reflex action, stimulating stomach and other digestive secretions.
Leaves have been used with some success in the treatment of anorexia nervosa.
Applied externally to bruises and bites. A warm compress has been used to ease sprains and strained muscles.A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves. It is used to stimulate bile and gastric juice production and to treat disorders of the liver and gall bladder.
|Anthelmintic, Antiinflammatory, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antitumor, Carminative, Cholagogue, Emmenagogue, Febrifuge, Flavouring, Fragrance, Homeopathy, Hypnotic, Insect Repellant, Stimulant, Stomachic, Strewing, Tonic, Vermifuge, Veterinary|
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