Alcea rosea - Rose trémière

Habitat

Exposition

Plein soleil

Humidité

Sol sec à moyen.

Sol

Tous sols.

pH

Sol acide ou calcaire

Rusticité

Zone 6

Habitat originel

Inconnu à l'état vraiment sauvage.

Origine géographique

The original habitat is obscure, it is probably of hybrid origin. A garden escape in Britain[17].

Comestibilité

• Jeunes feuilles - crues ou cuites [2, 55, 177].
• A mild flavour, but the texture leaves something to be desired [K].
• They have been used as a pot-herb, though they are not particularly palatable [4].
• They can also be chopped up finely and added to salads [K].
• Inner portion of young stems - raw [101].
• Flower petals and flower buds - raw .
• Added to salads [183].
• A nutritious starch is obtained from the root [183].
• A refreshing tea is made from the flower petals [183].

Usages médicinaux

• The flowers are demulcent, diuretic and emollient [4, 21].
• They are useful in the treatment of chest complaints[4], and a decoction is used to improve blood circulation, for the treatment of constipation, dysmenorrhoea, haemorrhage etc [218].
• The flowers are harvested when they are open and are dried for later use [238].
• The shoots are used to ease a difficult labour [218].
• The root is astringent and demulcent [240].
• It is crushed and applied as a poultice to ulcers [218].
• Internally, it is used in the treatment of dysentery [240].
• The roots and the flowers are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are said to have a sweet, acrid taste and a neutral potency [241].
• They are used in the treatment of inflammations of the kidneys/womb, vaginal/seminal discharge, and the roots on their own are used to treat loss of appetite [241].
• The seed is demulcent, diuretic and febrifuge [240].

Autres usages

• A fibre obtained from the stems is used in papermaking [189].
• The fibres are about 1.9mm long .
• The stems are harvested in late summer, the leaves are removed and the stems are steamed until the fibres can be removed .
• The fibres are cooked with lye for 2 hours and then ball milled for 3 hours or pounded with mallets .
• The paper is light tan in colour [189].
• The flowers are an alternative ingredient of 'Quick Return' herbal compost activator [32].
• This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost [K].
• The seed contains 12% of a drying oil [114, 240].
• The red anthocyanin constituent of the flowers is used as a litmus [114].
• A brown dye is obtained from the petals [168].

Culture

• Réussi dans la plupart des sols [1].
• Poor soils should be enriched with organic matter [1, 111].
• Prefers a heavy rich soil and a sheltered sunny position [200].
• Les plants résistent jusqu'à environ -15°C [200].
• A very ornamental plant, it is usually grown as a biennial due to its susceptibility to the fungal disease 'rust' [1, 200].
• There are many named varieties [238].
• Young plants, and also the young growth in spring, are very attractive to slugs [K].

Propagation

• Seed - sow April/May or August/September in pots or in situ [200, 238].
• Easily grown from seed, which usually germinates in about 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c [133, 268].
• Quand elles sont suffisamment développées pour être manipulées, repiquez les jeunes pousses en pots individuels et plantez les en extérieur durant l'été .
• Division after flowering .
• Only use rust-free specimens .
• Root cuttings in December .
• Basal cuttings at almost any time of year .