Common Name: Weld

General Information

Reseda luteola is an erect, branched or unbranched, annual to biennial plant growing from a deep taproot. It produces a rosette of leaves in its first growing season followed by a flowering stems around 30 - 130cm tall [, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials. At one time this plant was commonly cultivated for the dye obtained from the leaves and seed but with the advent of chemical dyes it has more or less fallen into disuse[, , ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Central and southern Europe - Poland to Portugal eastwards through western Asia to Kazakhstan and Pakistan; N. Africa - Morocco to Egypt

Habitat

Disturbed ground, arable land, walls etc, especially on calcareous soils[]. Dry hills and grassy slopes, steppes, rivers, ravines, roadsides, weed-infested places, fallow fields, as a weed among crops[]..

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Biennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Reseda luteola
Easily grown in any well-drained neutral to slightly alkaline soil in a sunny position or in some shade if the summers are long and hot[].
A good plant for bees and butterflies[].
Plants dislike root disturbance, they can be transplanted but care must be taken not to break the tap root[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Narcotic (mild).

The plant (part not specified) is anthelmintic, diaphoretic and diuretic. An infusion is used in the treatment of heart disease[].

Other Uses

A deep yellow dye is obtained from the plant, it is of very good quality[, , ]. The plant is harvested as the last flowers fade[]. Most of the dye is found in the seed[]. All parts of the plant, except the root, contain the dye[]. The dye is a flavone, which is a natural yellow of a phenyl benzo-pyrone structure. It is present in the plant as the glycoside or tannic esters[].

An oil is obtained from the seed, used in lighting[]. It can be used as lacquer and in painting[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in the spring and only just cover the seed. An autumn sowing usually succeeds in areas where winter temperatures do not fall below about -10°c[]. The seed germinates in the autumn in the wild.