Cedronella canariensis
(L.) Webb & Berthel.
Lamiaceae
Brittonastrum triphyllum (Moench) Lyons
Cedronella madrensis M.E.Jones
Cedronella triphylla Moench
Dracocephalum balsamicum Salisb.
Dracocephalum canariense L.
Dracocephalum ternatifolium Stokes
Common Name: Balm Of Gilead
Cultivated plant on the Canary Islands
Photograph by: Not known
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Cultivated plant on the Canary Islands
Photograph by: Not known
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Close-up of the flowers
Photograph by: Not known
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Balm of Gilead is an aromatic, perennial plant growing around 1.5 metres tall.
The plant is used as an aromatic tea and in potpourri. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
N. Africa - Azores, Canary Isles, Madeira.
Habitat
Not known
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 1.50 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a well-drained soil in a warm sunny position[
182- Title
- Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thomas. G. S.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-7195-5043-2
- Description
- Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
].
The whole plant is very aromatic, emitting a sweet cedar-like scent[
182- Title
- Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thomas. G. S.
- Publisher
- Murray
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-7195-5043-2
- Description
- Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
The leaves are used in the preparation of a tea called 'Thé de Canaries'[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. It is very aromatic. The leaves are best harvested before the plant comes into flower and are dried for later use[
238- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bown. D.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley, London.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7513-020-31
- Description
- A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The aromatic leaves are dried for use in potpourri with a musky woody scent[
238- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bown. D.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley, London.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7513-020-31
- Description
- A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].
Propagation
Seed - sow in a nursery seedbed in a lightly shaded position. It usually germinates in about 2 weeks at 15°c. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Division when dormant[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them until they are rooting well.
Basal cuttings[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade until they are rooting well.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
