Culen
Psoralea glandulosa
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Psoralea glandulosa is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in flower from May to September. 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): 3
Where it is found
Humid areas between Coquimbo and Valdivia in Chile, but it is never abundant.
S. America - Peru, Chile.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
The leaves are used as a tea substitute. A delicious carbonated beverage can be made from the boiled leaves. The young shoots are used in making a refreshing cold drink. It is very good.
Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 1
Astringent, cathartic, digestive, febrifuge, skin, vermifuge. The leaves are anthelmintic and tonic. The root is emetic.
Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Cathartic: A strong laxative but less violent than a purgative.
Digestive: Aids digestion.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.
Other
Rating:
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil. Requires a sunny position and a well-drained soil. Not very hardy outdoors in Britain, plants tolerate temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c provided they are grown in a perfectly drained soil with the protection of a south or south-west facing wall. Plants can regrow from buds low down on old wood if the are cut back by frosts. There are tender and hardy forms of this species. Flowers are produced on the previous seasons growth and also late in the season on the current seasons. Cultivated in Chile for its young shoots, which are used to make a drink, and also for its medicinal properties. 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: Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and sow in early to mid spring in a greenhouse. as soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 8-11
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Although no specific mention of toxicity for this species has been found, at least some members of this genus contain furanocoumarins, these substances can cause photosensitivity in some people.