Outside the flowering period, celandine leads a comparatively inconspicuous existence in cracks in walls and on the edges of forests. This perennial summer bloomer is also a suitable flowering plant for targeted cultivation in the garden.
What is celandine and where does it grow?
The celandine (Chelidonium majus) is a perennial, yellow-flowering plant that grows 40-60 cm high and prefers to grow in moist, nitrogen-rich locations. It is used externally in natural medicine to treat warts, but is toxic when used internally.
The characteristics of celandine:
- Botanical name: Chelidonium majus
- Common names: goldenwort, ladywort, devil's milkweed, wartywort
- Growth habit: Perennial plant with herbaceous growth, pronounced taproot
- Sowing time: March to April
- Flowering time: end of April to beginning of October
- Locations: prefers slightly moist soil, sunny to partially shaded
- Growth height: 40 to 60 cm
- Fruit: pod-like seed capsules
- Flower shape: radiant, yellow
- Leaves: petiolate, alternate and hairy on the underside
- Use: Natural remedy for external use for warts
- Poisonous effects when consumed
Caring for celandine in the garden
In nature, celandine can often be found in the following locations:
- on walls
- in sparse forests
- on the banks of water
- Stony wasteland
The maintenance required in the garden is also very low if the celandine is planted in a location with sufficient soil moisture. In addition, the selected location should have soil with as high a nitrogen content as possible. No special fertilization or other care measures are required for celandine in the garden.
The celandine as natural medicine
The name wartwort for celandine comes from the fact that the striking yellow sap in the plant stems is traditionally used as a treatment for warts. The plant was also previously used to treat various gastrointestinal diseases. The active ingredients in the plant parts are said to have, among other things, laxative, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, antiviral and antibacterial effects. However, treatment with internal use of celandine should only be carried out after consulting a doctor, as symptoms of poisoning of varying degrees of severity can occur after taking it. These manifest themselves as pain, burning, vomiting, circulatory disorders and bloody diarrhea. Toxic liver damage is said to be caused by celandine, and in extreme cases death can occur due to circulatory failure.
Tip
The celandine is one of the perennial plants in the garden that simply multiply by itself in a suitable location. The gardener of a naturally designed garden benefits from the fact that the pod-like seed capsules of the celandine are distributed throughout the garden by ants and are thus constantly re-sown.