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Orthilia secunda - (L.)House.

Common Name Sidebells Wintergreen
Family Pyrolaceae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Damp coniferous woods and on damp rock ledges[17, 200].
Range Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to the Pyrenees and Asia. N. America.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Full shade Semi-shade Full sun
Orthilia secunda Sidebells Wintergreen


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pyrola_secunda_Atlas_Alpenflora.jpg
Orthilia secunda Sidebells Wintergreen
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fice

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Orthilia secunda is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.3 m (1ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Pyrola secunda. L.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses: Tea

Seed[172]. No more details are given. The leaves are occasionally used as a tea[183].

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.
Ophthalmic

A strong decoction of the root has been used as an eye wash[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist sandy woodland soil[111, 200] in a cool position with partial shade[1, 11, 200]. Requires a peaty or leafy but not very acid soil that remains moist in the summer[31, 187]. This is a very difficult plant to grow. It requires a mycorrhizal relationship in the soil and therefore needs to be grown initially in soil collected from around an established plant[200]. It is also very difficult from seed as well as being intolerant of root disturbance which makes division difficult[1].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Plant Propagation

Seed - the only information we have on this species is that it is difficult from seed and germinates infrequently[200]. We would suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. Sow it into soil collected from around an established plant, only just covering the seed, and put the pot in a shady part of a cold frame. Pot up any young seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle, once again using soil from around an established plant. Plant out into their permanent positions when the plants are large enough. You should not need to use soil from around an established plant to do this since the soil in the pot will contain the necessary micorrhiza. Division with great care in the spring[1, 111]. Pot up the divisions using some soil from around an established plant, grow on in a lightly shaded part of a greenhouse or frame and do not plant out until the plants are growing away vigorously[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russian Federation (Kurile Islands, Habarovskij kraj, Primorye, Amur, Kamcatskij kraj, Magadanskaja oblast, Sakhalin), China (Heilongjiang Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu), Korea, Japan (Hokkaidô, Honshu) NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Northwest Territories, Yukon, Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia), Greenland, United States (Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah), Mexico (Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Guatemala (Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Sacatepéquez, Totonicapán) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Russian Federation (Karelia, Murmansk), Ukraine, Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Spain, France

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

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.)House.

Botanical References

17200

Links / References

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

Readers comment

Erik Wassenich   Sun Aug 13 2006

Orthilia secunda is very plentiful in western Russia, mostly in mixed pine/birch forests having very long roots. New shoots come up from the roots. When one finds one plant, there are dozens around it from the same root maze. In Russia it is considered good to take by women to treat or prevent urological roblems, for men to have a healthy prostate, etc.

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