Epilobium tetragonum
L.
Onagraceae
Chamaenerion tetragonum (L.) Scop.
Epilobium × semiadnatum Borbás
Epilobium × wildtianum Domin
Epilobium adnatum Griseb.
Epilobium algidum M.Bieb.
Epilobium dregeanum E.Mey. ex Hausskn.
Epilobium flaccidum Brot.
Epilobium glabellum tetragonum (L.) Maiden & Betche
Epilobium heterophyllum Nutt. ex Hausskn.
Epilobium novum Winterl
Epilobium obscurum M.Bieb.
Epilobium palustre Ucria
Epilobium ptarmicifolium F.W.Schultz
Epilobium salzmannii Boiss. & Reut. ex Nyman
Epilobium serrulatum Pourr. ex Willk.
Epilobium tetragonum Guss.
Epilobium tournefortii Freyn
Common Name: Square-Stemmed Willow Herb
General Information
Epilobium tetragonum is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant forming a clump of erect, usually much-branched stems that can grow around 25 - 80cm tall[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
Range
Eurasia - Sweden to Portugal, east to West Siberia, Himalayas and Iran; N. Africa - Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia
Habitat
Damp woodland clearings, hedgebanks, ditches and cultivated soil[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
]. Spring bogs, flooded meadows, banks of streams[
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.60 m |
| Pollinators | Self |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in most soils[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
], preferring a well-drained but moisture retentive soil in a sunny position[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
]. Used as a vegetable[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow early spring in situ or as soon as the seed is ripe.
Division in spring or autumn. 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 spring.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
