Hog's Fennel
Peucedanum officinale
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
What it is like
Peucedanum officinale is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is in flower from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Banks near the sea and in grassland. Salt marshes.
Europe, including Britain, from Germany south and east to Portugal, central Russia and the Balkans.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The plant is anodyne, antispasmodic, aperient, diaphoretic, diuretic and pectoral. An infusion is used in the treatment of coughs, bronchial catarrh etc. The root is mainly used, it is harvested in the spring or autumn and dried for later use. A homeopathic remedy is made from the roots. It is used in the treatment of bronchial catarrh, coughs, intermittent fevers and to stimulate menstrual flow.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
Aperient: A mild laxative.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.
Other
Rating:
Yields a gum, similar to 'Gum Ammoniac' (which is obtained from Ferula communis). The root is wounded in the spring and then yields a considerable quantity of a yellowish-green juice which dries into a gummy resin and retains the strong sulphur-like smell of the plant. The gum of Ferula communis is used as an incense and also has medicinal value.
Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.
How it is grown
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any moisture-retentive soil in a sunny position. Suitable for group plantings in the wild garden.
Propagating it: Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible otherwise in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Best place to grow: Meadow; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Skin contact with the sap of this plant is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people. It is also said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine.