Łódź, Botanical Garden

It is native to warm, open woodland habitats in southern Europe, north Africa and much of Asia. Ornamental plant. Bees feeding plant. Edible plant - a lemon-scented tea is made from the dried leaves. Herbal plant - has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for at least 1500 years; the root bark is a bitter, strong-smelling herb that lowers fevers and controls bacterial and fungal infections; the plant has an effect similar to rue 'Ruta graveolens' in that it strongly stimulates the muscles of the uterus, inducing menstruation and sometimes causing abortion(!); by contrast, its effect upon the gastro-intestinal tract is antispasmodic and it acts as a mild tonic on the stomach; the flowering stems and the root-bark are used medicinally, they are abortifacient, anthelmintic, antispasmodic, aromatic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, galactogogue, stimulant and tonic; the plant is used both internally and externally in the treatment of skin diseases (especially scabies and eczema), German measles, arthritic pain and jaundice.