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Summary
A low-growing annual plant. Once highly regarded as a medicinal herb but now questioned due to it's toxicity. The whole herb is antitussive, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, purgative, stimulant and vulnerary.
Physical Characteristics
Anagallis arvensis is a ANNUAL growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Plant Habitats
Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Shoots
Edible Uses:
Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 105, 115]. Used in salads[4] and as a spinach[2]. The tender shoots are cooked as a vegetable[272]. It is best not to eat these leaves[55, 238], see the notes above on toxicity.
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.
Antidepressant Antipruritic Antitussive Antiviral Cholagogue Diaphoretic Diuretic Epilepsy
Expectorant Homeopathy Nervine Purgative Stimulant Vulnerary
The scarlet pimpernel was at one time highly regarded as a medicinal herb, especially in the treatment of epilepsy and mental problems[254], but there is little evidence to support its efficacy and it is no longer recommended for internal use because it contains toxic saponins and cytotoxic cucurbitacins[238, 254]. The whole herb is antitussive, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, purgative, stimulant and vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 21, 46]. It can be taken internally or applied externally as a poultice[7]. An infusion is used in the treatment of dropsy, skin infections and disorders of the liver and gall bladder[9, 272]. The plant is best harvested in June and can be dried for later use[4]. Use with caution[21], large doses can cause polyuria and tremor[7]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[9]. It is used internally to treat itchy skins and externally to remove warts[9].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Soap
The squeezed plant is used in Nepal for washing and bathing[272]. Anagallis arvensis is insecticidal or at least is repellent to some insects. Dynamic accumulator.
Special Uses
Dynamic accumulator
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Prefers a sunny position and a good soil[1]. Succeeds in dry or sandy soils[238]. The flowers open at about 8 am and close at 3pm each day, though they close earlier if it rains. The flowers are also said to foretell wet weather if they close early[207].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
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Plant Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Common Names include: blue pimpernel; care-all; common pimpernel; poor man's weatherglass; red chickweed. Spanish: coralillo; jaboncillo; murrajes; pilpis; pimpinela escarlata. French: morgeline; morgeline d'ete; mouron des champs; mouron rouge. Arabic: 'ayen el jamel. Portuguese: escarlate; morriao vermelho; murriao. Algeria: lizireg; meridjana. Brazil: escalarte.
Chile: pimpinela azul.
Croatia: krika poljska.
Czechoslovakia (former): drchnicka roini.
Denmark: rod arve.
Egypt: 'ain el-gamal; omm lebben; qonfooda; saboon gheit.
Finland: puna alpi.
Germany: Acker Gauchheil; Feld Gauchheil; Roter Gauchheil.
Hawaii: poisonous pimpernel.
Hungary: mezel tikszem.
India: biliputi (Punjabi); krishnaneel.
Iran: bazrak vahshee.
Iraq: rmaimeeneh.
Italy: anagallide rossa; bellichina; mordi-gallina.
Japan: akabana aruri hakobe.
Lebanon: adhan el far el nabti; lubbayn; zaghila.
Macedonia: vidovcica crvena.
Mauritius: mouron.
Netherlands: gewoon guichelheil; guichelheil.
Norway: nonsblom; rodarve.
Pakistan: bili booti.
Poland: kurzyslad polny.
Slovenia: njivna kurja cesnjica.
South Africa: blouseblommetjie; rooimuur.
Sweden: rodarv; roedarv.
Taiwan: hwo-jin-gu.
Turkey: tarla farekulagi.
USA: poison chickweed; poisonweed; shepherd's clock; wink-a-peep
Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro): vidovcia.
Native Range
TEMPERATE ASIA: Kuwait, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Egypt (Sinai), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China (Fujian Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Guangdong Sheng), Taiwan TROPICAL ASIA: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete & Aegean Islands), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Malta, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Portugal (Madeira Islands), Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan
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.
Weedy in some areas of the US including Kentucky and the Northeast.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.
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
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Botanical References
17200
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