Skeleton Weed, Rush skeletonplant
Lygodesmia juncea
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Lygodesmia juncea is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) 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): 0.3
Where it is found
Prairies and plains, especially in sandy soils.
N. America - Wisconsin and Alberta to Texas.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
A gum from the seeds is used for chewing. Other reports say that the gum is obtained from the flowering stems. Another report says that the roots were left in the sun until the gum came out and hardened, and this was then used for chewing.
Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.
Medicine
Rating: 2
Skeleton weed was employed medicinally by various native North American Indian tribes who used it particularly as a galactogogue. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism. The leaves and stems are galactogogue and tonic. An infusion of the stems has been used to promote milk flow in nursing mothers, in the treatment of smallpox, measles, kidney problems, diarrhoea, heartburn and burning coughs and also as a general tonic for children. A poultice of the plant has been applied to bring relief to rheumatic and swollen joints. An infusion has been used as a wash for sore eyes. An infusion of the powdered galls that are found on the plant is diuretic.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Galactogogue: Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.
Kidney: Used in the treatment of kidney diseases
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating: 1
An infusion of the stems, mixed with oil, has been used as a hair tonic. The crushed stems have been used as foot pads in shoes.
Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.
Hair: Plants used as hair shampoos, tonics, to treat balding etc.
Insulation: Providing insulation against extremes of temperature, sound or electricity.
How it is grown
We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most areas of the country. It is likely to require a sunny position in a light well-drained soil.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division can be tried in the spring.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist