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Common Name: Larkspur

General Information

Consolida regalis is a Annual/Biennial up to 0.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials..

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are poisonous in large doses[, , ]. The seed is especially toxic[].

Botanical References

Range

S. Europe. A rare casual in Britain[].

Habitat

Cornfields and waste places, usually on sandy or chalky soils, avoiding shade in Britain[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual/Biennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Lepidoptera
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, it prefers a sunny position in a well-drained soil. Plants succeeded when growing in a dry shady position in the hot dry summer of 1989[].
A very ornamental plant[].
A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants, especially legumes[]. Other reports say that it is a good companion for wheat[, ].
A good bee plant[].
Plants resent root disturbance and should not be transplanted[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Larkspur was at one time used internally in the treatment of a range of diseases, but its only certain action is a violent purgative and nowadays it is only occasionally used in folk medicine[]. It is of value, however, when used externally, to kill skin parasites[]. The plant should be used with caution[, ], see the notes above on toxicity.
The seed is anthelmintic, mildly diuretic, hypnotic, purgative and vasodilator[]. It has been used internally in the treatment of spasmodic asthma and dropsy[].
The flowers or the whole plant are mildly diuretic and hypotensive[].
The expressed juice of the leaves has been considered an effective application to bleeding piles[].
A conserve made from the flowers has been seen as a good remedy for children when subject to violent purging[]. The juice of the flowers has also been used as a treatment for colic[].

Other Uses

A strong tincture of the fresh seed is used externally to kill lice and nits in the head and pubic hair[, , , ]. It is also effective against aphids and thrips[].
A good blue ink is obtained from the expressed juice of the petals together with a little alum[]. It is made from the leaves according to another report[]. It is also used as a dye[] and is green when mixed with alum[, ].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in situ[]. It can also be autumn sown in areas with mild winters, otherwise sow in succession from spring to early summer[]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks[].