Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)
Other names red pimpernel, red chickweed
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
Prefers a sunny position and a good soil. The flowers open at about 8 am and close at 3pm each day, though they close earlier if it rains. The flowers are also said to foretell wet weather if they close early.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ.
Edible uses
Leaves - raw or cooked, see the notes above on toxicity.
Medicinal uses
The scarlet pimpernel was at one time highly regarded as a medicinal herb, especially in the treatment of epilepsy and mental problems. The whole herb is antitussive, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, purgative, stimulant and vulnerary. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant.
Material uses
The squeezed plant is used in Nepal for washing and bathing.
Habitat
Roadsides and cultivated land.
Native range
Throughout most of the world, including Britain, but absent from the Tropics.