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Serratula tinctoria - L.

Common Name Saw-Wort, Dyer's plumeless saw-wort
Family Asteraceae or Compositae
USDA hardiness 5-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Wood margins, clearings, rides and open grasslands on moist basic soils over limestone or chalk[17].
Range Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandanavia to N. Spain, Balkans and Siberia.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Serratula tinctoria Saw-Wort, Dyer


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Serratula_tinctoria_Sturm19.jpg
Serratula tinctoria Saw-Wort, Dyer
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Franz_Xaver

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Serratula tinctoria is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Flies, bees. The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Hemistepta lyrata

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Meadow;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Young leaves and flower buds? - cooked[105]. This report was for Hemistepta lyrata, which is said in the same report to be a synonym for this species.

References   More on Edible Uses

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.
Astringent  Vulnerary

Astringent, vulnerary[61].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye

A fine yellow dye is obtained from the juice of the plant, it is very durable[1, 61, 100, 115].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in any well drained soil in a sunny position[200]. Suitable for the wild flower garden where it may naturalize[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Make sure the compost does not dry out. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer if they have grown sufficiently. Otherwise, grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out the following year 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.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Portugal AFRICA: Algeria

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Serratula coronata Perennial1.5 4-8  LMHNM10 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

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