Sea Holly
|
Botanical Name |
Eryngium maritimum |
|
Family |
Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) Carrot |
|
Other Names |
Eryngo, eryngo roots |
|
Habitat |
Sandy or shingle beaches. |
|
Description |
Thistle like spiny blue/green perennial 20-90cm/8-36in tall. Leaves blue-green three lobed spiny with pale veins and margins. Flowers blue in rounded heads with spiny bracts July – August Fruit egg shaped. Root: up to 8cm |
|
Parts used |
Roots |
|
Cultivation |
Warm, well drained soil especially gravel soil |
|
Harvesting |
Roots in spring or autumn |
|
Actions |
Anti-inflammatory, anti-lithic, diuretic, expectorant |
|
Constituents |
Saponins. Coumarins –egelinol and its benzoate, agasyllin, grandivetin. Polyphenolic acids –rosmarinic, chlorogenic acids |
|
Culinary Uses |
Cooked |
|
Genito-urinary |
Kidney stones |
Sea Holly Field
|
Botanical Name |
Eryngium campestre |
|
Other Names |
Sea holme, sea hulver, |
|
Description |
Perennial semi-spherical bush up to 30-90cm/1-3ft Flowers tiny thistle like metallic mid-late summer. Roots: long |
|
Cultivation |
Sandy or gravel soil, warm well drained soil. Full sun |
|
Culinary Uses |
Root, flowering shoots |