Celandine

Table of Contents

1. Description
2. Origin
3. Uses
4. Culture
5. Sources
6. Thanks to...

Chelidonium majus
Family: Paperaceae

Common names: greater celandine, swallow wort, tetterwort

Description

Celandine is a variable biennial or perennial with a thick, multi-branched taproot. Yellow-green, pinnate leaves are made up of pairs of oblong leaflets and a large terminal leaflet. Stems are brittle and both stem and leaves exude an orange sap when damaged. Flowers are yellow with four petals.

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Origin:

Europe, W. Asia. Celandine has naturalized in parts of North America. The orange sap from celandine will stain clothes.

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Uses of Celandine and Claims:

• Culinary: none
• Medicinal: this herb is subject to legal restrictions in some countries and if used in excess can cause sleepiness, skin irritation, irritant coughing, difficulty breathing; not given to pregnant women;
  • Internally for gall bladder inflammation, jaundice, hepatitis, gout, arthritis, rheumatism, remittent fevers, etc;
  • Externally for eye inflammations, bruises, sprains, warts, ringworm, psoriasis, malignant tumours.
• Industrial: none

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Culture:

• Propagation: Celandine can be propagated by seeds or by division. Seed into plug trays or directly into the field. The seed will germnate in 2 – 3 weeks.
• Cultivation: It can be grown in full sun or partial shade. Regular watering is necessary.
• Soil type: It can tolerate most soil types but grows best in rich soil.
• Harvest: Above ground parts are harvested in the spring or early summer.

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Sources:

• Bown, D.1995. Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. RD Press.
• Bremness, L. 1994. Herbs. Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
• Kowalchik, C. and W. H. Hylton Eds. 1998. Rodale’s illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press.
• Sturdivant, L., T.Blakely. 1999. Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field & Marketplace. San Juan Naturals.

Thanks to:

This demonstration garden was a result of the efforts of Dr. Alan McKeown, Vegetable Scientist, University of Guelph and was made possible with grants from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Tobacco Diversification Program.

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