Elecampane – 10 Seeds

Elecampane Seeds. Elecampane, (Inula helenium), also called Horseheal, Elfdock, Elfwort or Yellow Starwort, is a widespread perennial plant in the sunflower family Asteraceae. Elecampane is a herb and the root is used to make medicine.
The plant will often form only vegetative growth the first year, but will flower prolifically the next year. Plants in some climates will spread each year and require division approximately every third year. In perfect conditions they can also self seed.

Elecampane Medicinal Benefits

Elecampane is known to strengthen and support the respiratory system. It is one of the best herbal expectorants.

• It is used in the treatment of lung diseases including asthma, bronchitis, and whooping cough.
• It is also used to prevent coughing, especially coughing caused by tuberculosis; and as an expectorant to help loosen phlegm, so it can be coughed up more easily.
• Other uses include improving stomach function, treating nausea and diarrhea.
• Used as a dewormer. These worms include hookworm, roundworm, threadworm, and whipworm.
• Some people use elecampane to promote sweating.

Growing Elecampane

• Seeds can be planted either at the beginning of autumn or before the last frost of spring.
• Once sown, the seeds should be lightly covered with soil.
• The seeds will take anything from two to six weeks to germinate at 12 to 18 Celsius.
• Once ready, the young plants should be transplanted into the garden following the last frost of spring at a spacing of 20 cm to 60 cm.
• It likes to grow in sunny areas of the garden that have good drainage, the soil type is not to important.
• It is necessary to divide the plants every three years or so to maintain vigor.
• The pungent root is the part used in herbal medicine and it is harvested in the autumn or winter, when the plant is two or three years old.