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Common Name: Balm Of Gilead

General Information

Cedronella canariensis is a perennial plant that can grow up to 1.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

N. Africa - Canary Isles.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a well-drained soil in a warm sunny position[].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, usually dying overwinter even in the milder areas of the country. It can be grown as an annual however, when it will usually flower and set viable seed. Plants sometimes survive mild winters when they are grown outdoors. If you grow the plant outdoors, then it is a good idea to take basal cuttings in early summer and keep these in an unheated greenhouse over the winter. Even if your outdoor plants are killed by the cold, these greenhouse plants should survive and supply replacement stock[].
The whole plant is very aromatic, emitting a sweet cedar-like scent[, ].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used in the preparation of a tea called 'Thé de Canaries'[]. It is very aromatic. The leaves are best harvested before the plant comes into flower and are dried for later use[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The aromatic leaves are dried for use in pot-pourri with a musky woody scent[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in about 2 weeks at 15°c. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts[].
Division in spring[]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or late in the following spring.
Basal cuttings in late spring or early summer[]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.