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Common Name: Water Germander

General Information

Teucrium scordium 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 and source of materials..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Europe, including Britain, from Sweden south and east to France, W. Siberia and Serbia.

Habitat

Banks of rivers and ditches on calcareous soils and on dune slacks[]. A rare plant in Britain[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any moderately good soil. See notes on the plants habitat for more ideas on its needs.
Water germander was at one time cultivated in gardens as a medicinal herb, though it has fallen into disuse[]. The crushed plant has a penetrating odour that is somewhat like garlic. It is said to taint the milk if eaten by cows[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The herb is anthelmintic, antifungal, antiseptic, diaphoretic, skin, tonic[, ]. Water germander was at one time esteemed as an antidote for poisons and also as an antiseptic and anthelmintic, though it is scarcely used nowadays. However, its tonic and diaphoretic actions make it an excellent remedy for all inflammatory diseases[]. It us also used in the treatment of TB[].

Other Uses

A green dye is obtained from the leaves[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if they are large enough. Otherwise, grow them on in a cold frame for the winter and plant them out in the following spring.
Division in early spring[]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].