Globularia vulgaris
Family: Globulariaceae
What it is like
Globularia vulgaris is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.2
Where it is found
Dry calcareous soils.
Western Europe in Sweden, France and Spain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 1
The leaves are antirheumatic, laxative and stimulant. The plant is a mild laxative, but it also has a beneficial effect on the stomach and is therefore preferable to many other laxatives.
Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a gritty well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline soil in full sun. Grows well in a dry sunny position in the rock garden.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division. Cuttings of semi-ripe wood, June/July in a cold frame.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist