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Herbs & Plants

Erodium moschatum

Botanical Name: Erodium moschatum
Family: 
Geraniaceae
Genus: 
Erodium
Species:
E. moschatum
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order: 
Geraniales

Common Names: Musk stork’s-bill and Whitestem filaree

Habitat: Erodium moschatum is native to Mediterranean areas and southwestern Europe, including Britain. It grows on the waste places and rocky ground, mainly near the sea in Britain, mainly near the southern coast.

Description:
Erodium moschatum is an annual/biennial plant growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). The young plant starts with a flat rosette of compound leaves, each leaf up to 15 centimeters long with many oval-shaped highly lobed and toothed leaflets along a central vein which is hairy, white, and stemlike. The plant grows to a maximum of about half a meter in height with plentiful fuzzy green foliage. The small flowers have five sepals behind five purple or lavender petals, each petal just over a centimeter long. The filaree fruit has a small, glandular body with a long green style up to 4 centimeters in length.

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It is in flower from Jul to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
Cultivation:
Prefers a sunny well-drained position and a limy soil or at least one that is not acid. The bruised leaves emit a strong scent of musk.

Propagation:
Seed – sow in situ as soon as the seed is ripe in the late summer. The seed can also be sown in situ in late spring. It usually germinates readily.
Edible Uses: ..Leaves – raw or cooked. Added to salads or used as a potherb.

Medicinal Uses:….The plant is febrifuge. A tincture of the plant is used in the treatment of dysentery.

Other Uses:...Dye….A green dye can be obtained from the whole plant. It does not require a mordant.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erodium_moschatum
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Erodium+moschatum

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