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Cryptotaenia canadensis - (L.)DC.

Common Name Honewort, Canadian honewort
Family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Rich woods and thickets[43]. Woodland ravines and riverbanks[238].
Range Eastern N. America - Western New Brunswick to Manitoba and south to Alabama. Arkansas and Texas.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade
Cryptotaenia canadensis Honewort, Canadian honewort


USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. Vol. 2: 630.
Cryptotaenia canadensis Honewort, Canadian honewort
Thomas G. Barnes @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Barnes, T.G., and S.W. Francis. 2004. Wildflowers and ferns of Kentucky. University Press of Kentucky.

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Cryptotaenia canadensis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.6 m (2ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. 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 can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves  Root  Stem
Edible Uses:

Young leaves, stems and flowers - raw or cooked[105, 177]. Used as a potherb or added to salads[183]. A flavour that is somewhat like celery[238], if you use your imagination[K]. Root - cooked[177, 183]. The seeds are used as a flavouring for cakes, breads and biscuits[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.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a rich moist soil, preferring to grow in dappled shade[200, 238]. Closely related to C. japonica, a species that is cultivated as a vegetable in Japan[43, K]. This species is being cultivated in America to supply the Japanese market with a chervil-like herb[218]. Slugs are extremely fond of this plant, especially when the new growth emerges in spring[K]. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is fibrous dividing into a large number of fine roots [1-2]. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length [1-2].

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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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 April in a greenhouse. Germination is usually rapid, prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. The ideal temperature for sowing is about 25°c, though seed does germinate at higher and lower temperatures[206]. Seed can also be sown in early autumn[206]. Division in spring or autumn.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada, Québec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba, United States, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas,

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
Cryptotaenia japonicaMitsuba, Japanese honewortPerennial1.0 4-8  LMHFSNM41 
Potentilla cryptotaeniae Perennial1.0 -  LMHSNM01 

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.)DC.

Botanical References

4350200

Links / References

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

Readers comment

Aurea Andrade   Sun Feb 25 2007

Medicinal Uses: as a strengthening tonic. Source: Cryptotaenia (Wikipedia)

Ken Fern, Plants for a Future   Mon Feb 26 2007

This medicinal use, as a strengthening tonic, was first recorded for the very closely related Cryptotaenia japonica. Indeed, many botanists believe that the two species are just different forms of the same species and unite the plants under C. canadensis.

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