Common Name:

General Information

Ferula jaeschkeana is a monocarpic perennial plant growing from a stout taproot. It produces a solitary, robust, thick stem, growing around 100 - 200cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is considered to be an important medicinal plant in the Himalayas, where it is often harvested in large quantities from the wild for local use and for trade.
The unscrupulous collection of the roots of the plant from the wild for ethnic preparations and for local trade purposes, has resulted in the depletion of the plant's natural populations and has placed the plant under an endangered category in the wild.. The plant is also destructively collected and used as fodder and firewood in different parts of the Himalayas, which again foster its depletion from the wild[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Central Asia to western China - Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, northwest India, Xizang

Habitat

Grassy slopes, among shrubs; at elevations around 2,000 - 4,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Habit	Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Ferula jaeschkeana is a plant of continental temperate climates with warm to hot summers and cold winters.
Ferula species generally can succeed in most soils[], though they prefer a deep, fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position[].
Plants have a long taproot and are intolerant of root disturbance[]. They should be planted into their final positions as soon as possible.
A monocarpic species, the plant grows for some years without flowering before it flowers and then dies after setting seed[].

Edible Uses

The plant is used for flavouring food in some parts of Uttarakhand[].

Medicinal

The roots and resin of the plant are used to cure rheumatism, toothache, wounds, poultices, tumours, chronic wounds and ulcers[].
Powdered roots used to cure chest and joint pain[].

An oleo-gum-resin of the plant is used as an antihistaminic, abortifacient and antiseptic[, ].
The gum-resin is applied topically to wounds and bruises[].

Pharmacologically, the ethanolic extract of the aerial part produced dilation, congestion and hypertrophy in the liver[].
An oil extracted from the leaves possesses mycotoxic property against dermatophytes, Trichophyton sp.[].


The ether extract from the fruits contains 19% of a dark yellow resin and 3.5% essential oil (d-pinene (91%), cumic aldehyde (1.3%), azulene (5%)[].
The fresh roots contain 0.42 - 0.71% essential oil of which 85% is pinene[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as the seed is ripe in a greenhouse in autumn[]. Otherwise sow in mid spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Plant them out into their permanent positions whilst still small because the plants dislike root disturbance[]. If necessary, give the plants a protective mulch for their first winter outdoors.
Division in autumn. This may be inadvisable due to the plants dislike of root disturbance.