Łódź, Botanical Garden

Native to Europe from the Mediterranean to southern Scandinavia. Edible plant - leaves raw or cooked, they are used as a potherb or to thicken soups; roots raw or cooked, when boiled and then fried with onions it is said to make a palatable dish that is often used in times of shortage; roots are also used as a vegetable; a tea is made from the flowers; a tea can also be made from the roots. Herbal plant - the whole plant, but especially the root, is antitussive, demulcent, diuretic, highly emollient, slightly laxative and odontalgic, it counters excess stomach acid, peptic ulceration and gastritis; the roots are applied externally to bruises, sprains, aching muscles, insect bites, skin inflammations, splinters etc; the roots can be used in an ointment for treating boils and abscesses; an infusion of the leaves is used to treat cystitis and frequent urination; the dried roots are used as a toothbrush or is chewed by teething children, they have a mechanical affect on the gums whilst also helping to ease the pain; the dried and powdered roots have been used to bind the active ingredients when making pills for medicinal use. Usable plant - a glue can be made from the roots; the flowers contain the pigment malvidin whicht is used as a red dye for wool; a blackish-blue dye is obtained with a mordant of ferric salts; a gray or grayish-violet with aluminum salts; and a dark violet with stannic salts; an oil is obtained from the seeds, which is used in making paints and varnishes.