Break a leaf stem of greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) and it bleeds a bright, opaque yellow sap, the reason this 16 to 20 inch poppy relative has long been dabbed on warts. Give it sun and a rather rich soil and it will seed itself about freely, feeding bees with nectar — but it is poisonous and must never be eaten.
Greater celandine at a glance
Name
Chelidonium majus
Family
Papaveraceae
Type
medicinal plant
Height
16 to 20 inches (40 to 50 cm)
Exposure
full sun, part sun
Soil
rather rich
Harvest
late spring to early autumn
Its cute flowers and amazing orange sap, however, are full of health benefits.
Sowing and planting Greater Celandine
Seeds are raked in lightly, straight into the bed
Very easy. Perform at the beginning of spring, directly in the growing bed.
Simply sprinkle seeds around and rake them into the soil very lightly. Tetterwort is also called “poppy celandine“: not only is it a relative of the famous red poppy, it also spreads and grows very easily.
This is an excellent plant for sowing around beehives: the abundant flowers contain nectar that is full of nutrients.
Bees use these compounds to regulate disease and parasites in their hive.
Tetterwort, excellent for stone walls
Tall enough to decorate a stone wall
This grower will sprout in nearly any spot that has a little bit of soil.
Since it grows rather tall, it’s an excellent choice for decorating a stone wall. It will stand out, decorating your stone wall in a burst of fresh green, all the while without hindering creeping cover flowers from growing and blooming.
Breaking a leaf stem releases the wart-treating sap
This plant is poisonous and must never be ingested.
However, it has been proven to be effective in treating warts.
Greater celandine also goes by the name “tetterwort“.
The bright yellow opaque sap from this plant can be collected simply by cutting or breaking off the stem of a leaf.
It is said to have a beneficial effect when trying to remove warts.
Dabbing the sap on the wart directly once or twice a day will make the wart disappear within a few weeks, and in some cases within a couple months.
Smart tip about greater celandine
Self-seeds freely, which is why gardeners call it a weed
Note that this plant re-seeds itself very easily, and is often considered a weed by gardeners.
Images: Pixabay: Jaqueline Henning, Emilian Robert Vicol, Hans Braxmeier, Ulrike Leone, Public Domain: Andreas
Written by Gaspard Lorthiois | Loves helping out, especially when it comes to growing things. Worked in herbal medicine, runs a farm, and dabbles in tech. Master's degree and engineer.
