This taxon has been listed as Scrophularia oblongifolia in Plants of the World online, accessed 17/02/20. (http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:809394-1#synonyms)

Common Name: Water Betony

General Information

Scrophularia umbrosa is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant that can grow around 30 - 150cm tall[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Known Hazards

The plant is probably poisonous to cows[].

Botanical References

,

Range

Eurasia - France to Britain and Denmark, east through Turkey & southern Russia to central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tadzhikistan), western Siberia

Habitat

Damp shady ground, usually near water[, ]. An occasional garden weed[]. Forests, along streams; at elevations from 900 - 1,700 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, wasps
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in most moist soils.
A good bee plant[].

Edible Uses

Root - cooked[, ]. There must be some doubts about the edibility of this root[].

Medicinal

The leaves are detergent and vulnerary[]. They are harvested as the plant comes into flower and can be used fresh or dried for later use[]. The plant has a good reputation as a wound herb, either applied externally as a poultice or taken as a decoction[].

Water betony is said to have similar medicinal properties to the knotted figwort, S. nodosa[]. These properties are as follows:-
Knotted figwort is a plant that supports detoxification of the body and it may be used as a treatment for various kinds of skin disorders[].
The whole plant is alterative, anodyne, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, mildly purgative and stimulant[, , , ]. It is harvested as the plant comes into flower in the summer and can be dried for later use[]. A decoction is applied externally to sprains, swellings, burns, inflammations etc, and is said to be useful in treating chronic skin diseases, scrofulous sores and gangrene[, ]. The leaves can also be applied fresh or be made into an ointment[]. Internally, the plant is used in the treatment of chronic skin diseases (such as eczema, psoriasis and pruritis), mastitis, swollen lymph nodes and poor circulation[]. It should not be prescribed for patients with heart conditions[].
The root is anthelmintic[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
If you have sufficient seed then it can be sown outdoors in situ in the autumn or the spring.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.