Alpine French Honeysuckle
Hedysarum hedysaroides

Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae

What it is like

Hedysarum hedysaroides is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.4 m (1ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.4

Where it is found

Gravel river bars, roadsides, rocky hills and meadows, 1200 - 2500 metres in the Alps.

S. and C. Europe, Arctic Russia and Western N. America.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Root - raw or cooked. Sweet and highly nutritious. Harvested from late autumn to spring, it is sweetened by frost.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

Easily grown in ordinary garden soil that is moist in summer and a sunny position, preferring a deep well-drained sandy loam. This species is hardy to about -20°c. Plants strongly resent root disturbance and should be placed in their permanent positions as soon as possible. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Propagating it: Seed - sow in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe or in the spring. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in spring. Great care is needed since the plant dislikes root disturbance.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

H. obscurum.