Dorothy FarrarRittersporn
Delphiniums are popular as ornamental plants . However, its importance as a medicinal plant is declining sharply due to the poisonous parts of the plant. Commercially, the plant is primarily used as a decorative drug.
General overview
Larkspur is a buttercup plant whose original home is in Greece, Italy and Asia. Today the delphinium can be found throughout the Mediterranean and on the Canary Islands. The perennials grow to more than a meter in height, have palmate leaves and stand out because of their blue to violet flower clusters. Delphiniums bloom profusely and persistently between June and August.
Due to the long flower spur, the plant is called delphinium in our room. Other popular names are lice pepper, lice tooth or Stephanskraut. The perennial plant includes around 300 species worldwide. Larkspur is often found as an ornamental plant in cottage gardens. The plant can be combined well in the bed with hydrangeas or various types of perennials. In 2015, the larkspur, which is mildly poisonous to humans and animals in all parts, was voted poisonous plant of the year.
Occurrence and cultivation
Larkspur has become rare in its wild form. In the southern Mediterranean, the plant occurs in fields and along roadsides. Isolated occurrences can also be found in sparsely forested areas in the Alps. Larkspur is extremely popular as an ornamental plant throughout Central Europe. Since the plant needs light to germinate, the seeds should not be covered with soil, but should lie loosely on the ground.
Larkspur eagerly produces seeds and sows itself in the process. Sun and lots of light are the ideal environment for the plant. Planting delphiniums in too much shade can lead to increased mildew infestation. Normal garden soil can be used. The plant needs sufficient nutrients . Mineral fertilizer and horn shavings should be applied in spring and after pruning in summer. Larkspur can be sown between May and September. On hot days, the water requirement is correspondingly high. The plant is hardy.
Application and effect
The most common use of delphiniums is in gardens and parks. The plant is just as effective in the perennial border as it is in the cottage garden. The high larkspur was used in 1976 as a motif for a welfare stamp issued by the Deutsche Bundespost. The healing effect of delphiniums is generally classified as low. Larkspur is used as a gentle diuretic in detoxifying and blood-cleansing teas. Larkspur is also often included in tea blends that are supposed to be beneficial as part of a diet.
The plant is mainly used in this context as a decorative drug. The rich blue color remains even after the flowers have dried. Tea blends can be visually enhanced in this way. Delphinium sap can be used externally to cleanse wounds. The boiled fresh herb is recommended for external use as a dressing against prostate problems. In dried form, delphinium loses its intolerance. All parts of the plant are poisonous when raw and ingestion can lead to cardiovascular problems. When the herb is dried and crushed, this powder dissolved in water can help relieve a cough, heartburn, or constipation. A tea made from the whole plant used to be used as a remedy for colic.
What does delphinium help against?
- melancholy
- Depression
importance to health
In Dioscurides the larkspur is mentioned as a means of contraception. The Romans and Greeks used delphiniums to make an ointment to treat bite injuries and drive away lice. Hence the nickname louse tooth. In the Middle Ages, the plant was used to heal wounds and also to treat eye infections. Larkspur was also used as an antidote for snake bites. The toxic alkaloids contained in it made delphiniums of interest as a medicinal plant in ancient times.
The highest concentration of poison is contained in the high larkspur and in the garden larkspur. The symptoms of poisoning range from skin irritation and diarrhea to movement disorders and heart problems. The healing effect of delphiniums has not been scientifically proven. The ingredients of the buttercup plant are said to stimulate the appetite or have a diuretic effect . The flowers were once used in many ways in naturopathy.
Today, the use of delphiniums is limited to adding them to tea blends. This is primarily to enhance the appearance of the tea and less for healing purposes. Roots, seeds and herbs are poisonous. Therefore, self-medication with the fresh plant is strongly discouraged.
The use of the homeopathic remedy Staphysagria is harmless. The sharp delphinium was strongly potentized and is harmless to health. The remedy is recommended after operations to relieve pain or for melancholy and depression. The potencies D3 to D12 are common for homeopathically prepared delphiniums.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.