Description
Veronicastrum ‘Red Arrows’
Collect your imagination for this one ! Imagine the lead Red Arrow racing upwards, blazing a deep violet trail, his purple smoke trail paling as it disperses. Then shooting up behind him with magenta pink smoke trails come the rest of the team, peeling away from his vertical. The graduation of colour and the inflexion of the verticals creates a very nice effect and the foliage too with its reddish stems and slight purplish flush is strong and handsome. Tends towards Veronicastrum sibiricum in form. In flower from July to September. 120cm tall.
Veronicastrum
There is a long history of medicinal use of this plant. The main use of Culver’s root has been as a purgative and for liver complaints. The common name derives from Dr Culver, a pioneering 18th century physician who promoted its use. Medicinal use can , however, be quite dangerous as the fresh root is a both a violent cathartic and purgative agent, said to produce bloody stools and even abortion. despite this, the Chippewa used a tea made from the root as a blood cleanser. It is notable that the dried root has a less violent effect than the fresh root.
Naming
Veronicastrum shares a common name, Bowman’s Root, with Gillenia, whose roots have also been used in the past as an emetic. I would speculate that this maybe points to a historical confusion of two plants amongst the herbal trade.
There are a great number of common names for this plant, always a good indicator of wide herbal use. Culver’s root, Culver’s-root, Culverphysic, Culver’s physic, Bowman’s root, black root, Eustachya, Leptandra-wurzel. Leptandra virginicum.
Linnaeus first placed Veronicastrum in Veronica where it sat until it was moved into Leptandra and then later Veronicastrum. The name Veronicastrum, therefore, refers back to this similarity.
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