Woolly Wyethia, Woolly mule-ears
Wyethia mollis
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Wyethia mollis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in flower from July to August. 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 and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Dry wooded slopes and rocky openings, 1500 - 3000 metres in California.
South-western N. America - Oregon to California.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Root - cooked. A sweet and agreeable flavour. The N. American Indians dug pits in the ground which they lined with large stones. They then burnt a fire on top of the stones until the stones were hot. The roots were placed on these hot stones, sealed in with fern leaves and earth and then fermented for one or two days. Seed - raw or cooked. The seed can be used as a piñole, or it can be ground into a powder and used as a mush or mixed with cereals flours to make bread etc.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The root is antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, emetic and febrifuge. A decoction has been used as a blood tonic and also in the treatment of tuberculosis, venereal diseases, colds and fevers. A poultice of the crushed roots has been applied to swellings. A poultice of the crushed leaves has been applied to sprains, swellings and broken bones.
Antiphlogistic: Reduces inflammation.
Blood tonic: Is this any different to a blood purifier?
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a free-draining, gritty but moisture-retentive soil in a sunny position. This species is more tolerant of drought than other members of the genus. Plants are not hardy in the colder areas of Britain.
Propagating it: Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse or cold frame in early spring. Use a very freely-draining compost, prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out into their permanent positions when they are large enough. Careful division of the crown as the plants come into growth in spring.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
One report suggests that the leaves might be poisonous.