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Common Name: Blazing Star

General Information

Chamaelirium luteum is a

Known Hazards

This plant is a cardiac toxin in large quantities[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Eastern N. America - New York to Florida, west to Arkansas, Illinois and Michigan.

Habitat

Low moist ground[] in meadows, thickets and rich woods[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Self-fertile	No

Cultivation Details

Requires a moist fertile humus-rich acidic soil in sun or light dappled shade[, ]. Prefers a cool peaty soil[].
Plants are dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Blazing star is a traditional remedy of the North American Indians where it was used mainly as a woman's herb[]. It is widely used in Western herbal medicine where it is seen as a balancing herb for the female reproductive system and has proved to be a beneficial remedy for menstrual problems and ovarian cysts - it can also be of help in the menopause[].
The root is adaptogen, diuretic, emetic, uterine tonic and vermifuge[, , , , ]. Small doses of the dried and powdered root are used[]. It is employed in the treatment of amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and leucorrhoea[] and also for a variety of ailments associated with the male and female reproductive organs[]. It should be used with caution since an excess causes vomiting[]. The root is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow as soon as it is ripe just below the surface of a peat/sand mix in pots in a cold frame[]. Keep cool and moist. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 6 months at 10°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in pots plunged in a nursery bed for 1 - 2 years, giving protection from severe weather. Plant out in spring when the plants are large enough[].
Division.