Łódź, Botanical Garden

Native to eastern and central North America and widely naturalized in temperate and subtropical regions. Edible plant - roots cooked. boiled and eaten like salsify, fleshy, sweet and succulent with peppery taste somewhat resembling salsify or parsnips; young shoots raw or cooked, mucilaginous, with a peppery flavour, they are best used sparingly; flowers sweet, used in salads or as a garnish; young seedpods cooked and steamed. Herbal plant - the bark and the leaves are astringent and sedative, they have proved of use in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders of a functional origin, whooping cough and asthma; a syrup made from the flowers is also an effective treatment for whooping cough; the oil obtained from seeds has become a well-known food supplement, research suggests that the oil is potentially very valuable in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, pre-menstrual tension, hyperactivity, etc.; the poulticed roots are applied to piles and bruises; a tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of obesity and bowel pains. Useful plant - a yellow dye is obtained from the flowers; a finely ground powder made from the flowering stems is used cosmetically in face-masks to counteract reddened skins.