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Common Name:

General Information

Eryngium ternatum is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.60 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. Europe - Crete.

Habitat

Dry places[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Beetles
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position[]. Prefers a light sandy soil but tolerates most soil types including lime and poor gravels[].
Plants should be put in their final position whilst small since they resent root disturbance[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are aphrodisiac[].

An extract from the aerial parts of the plant showed significant activity against Leishmania donovani, one of the organisms that cause the parasitic disease leishmaniasis. Related species contain coumarins, flavonoids and saponins, compounds previously shown to have activity against Leishmania[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in early autumn on the surface of a well-drained compost in a cold frame[]. The seed can also be sown in spring. It usually germinates in 5 - 90 days at 20°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in early spring or autumn. Take care since the plant resents root disturbance[].
Root cuttings in autumn or winter[].