Rupture Wort, Smooth rupturewort
Herniaria glabra
Family: Caryophyllaceae
What it is like
Herniaria glabra is a BIENNIAL/PERENNIAL. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
A rare and local plant of dry sandy areas in south Devon and eastern England.
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa and temperate Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 2
The whole plant, gathered when in flower, is astringent, very actively diuretic and expectorant. It appears to have an antispasmodic effect upon the bladder and is used in the treatment of dropsy, catarrh of the bladder, cystitis and kidney stones. It has also gained a reputation for treating hernias. Externally, it has been used as a poultice to speed the healing of ulcers.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
Other
Rating: 3
A good ground cover plant, allowing spring bulbs to grow through it. An aqueous extract of the plant is a hand cleanser, making the skin soft and supple.
Cleanser: For various materials. Perhaps best included under separate headings.
Ground cover: Ground Cover
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Grows well in hot dry soils. Dislikes excessive moisture. Succeeds in very poor soils. Useful for covering rocks or as a carpet bedding, it makes a good ground cover for spring bulbs since they can grow through it easily. The leaves emit a musky smell when they are handled.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. 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.
Best place to grow: Ground Cover; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Biennial/Perennial
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist