Medicinal Plants
A wide-ranging category, including many of the ancient garden plants. Emphasis is placed on the plants that were probably introduced primarily for their medicinal value.
Dictamnus albus L.
Fully hardy clump-forming perennial with white or pinkish-white flowers in early summer. There are a number of garden cultivars, with rosy-red to purplish flowers. To 90cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Digitalis purpurea L.
Fully hardy, rosette forming, variable biennial with tall. one-sided spikes of purple, pink or white flowers, with paler spots inside, in early summer. To 2m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Diospyros lotus L.
Fully hardy, spreading deciduous tree with lance-shaped leaves, to 12cm long, and tiny, bell-shaped, red-tinged green flowers in summer, followed by inedible, spherical to ovoid, yellow to purple fruit, to 2cm across, on female plants. To 10m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Dracocephalum moldavica L.
Fully hardy, erect, bushy annual with aromatic, triangular, toothed leaves, to 4cm long, and slender spike-like racemes of whorled, 2-lipped, violet-blue to purple, sometimes white flowers, to 2.5cm long, in summer. To 60cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Fraxinus excelsior L.
Fully-hardy, vigorous, spreading, deciduous tree with conspicuous black buds in winter, pinnate leaves, to 30cm long, composed of 9, 11, or 13 leaflets, which turn yellow in autumn. To 30m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Fraxinus ornus L.
Fully-hardy, bushy-headed, rounded, deciduous tree with pinnate leaves, to 20cm long, composed of 5-9 leaflets, turning purple-red in autumn, and large terminal and axillary panicles of fragrant, creamy flowers in spring and summer. To 15m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Gardenia resinifera Roth.
Frost-tender, unarmed shrub or small tree with shiny, oblong leaves with resinous buds and solitary, almost terminal, large, pure white, fragrant flowers. [Don].
Gelsemium sempervirens Ait.
Borderline half hardy, vigorous, slender, twining perennial with stems that spiral anti-clockwise, narrow glossy leaves, to 5cm long, and clusters, to 8cm across, of fragrant yellow flowers, to 3cm long, with darker throats, in spring and summer. To 6m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Genista anglica L.
Fully-hardy, spiny deciduous shrub, sometimes procumbent, with small but showy, pea-like yellow flowers in spring and early summer. To 60cm. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Gmelina asiatica L.f. var. parvifolia (Roxb.) Moldenke
Frost tender, often spiny shrub with ovate leaves, to 6cm, and slightly pendant terminal racemes of yellow flowers. To 10m. [RHSD].
Hedera helix L.
Fully hardy, vigorous, variable, self-clinging climber or trailing perennial with 3- to5-lobed, broadly triangular glossy leaves, to 6cm long. To 10m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Hibiscus cannabinus L. var. lindleyi
Half-hardy, erect, almost unbranched, fast-growing annual or short-lived perennial with palm-like, 3- to7-lobed leaves, to 15cm long, and single or few-flowered axillary racemes of funnel-shaped, pale yellow or purple-red flowers with crimson-red centres, from summer to autumn. To 3.5m. The variety Lindleyi has deep purple flowers. [RHSE, Hortus].
Ilex aquifolium L.
Frost hardy, usually erect, dense, pyramidal or oblong, evergreen shrub or tree, with glossy, dark green, leaves with spine-toothed or spiny margins, and long-lasting red, orange or yellow berries in autumn and winter. To 25m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Juglans regia L.
Fully hardy, spreading tree with pinnate, aromatic leaves, to 30cm long, composed of up to 9 leaflets, bronze-purple when young, and edible nuts, to 5cm long. To 30m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Juniperus phoenicea L.
Fully-hardy, dense, rounded or broadly conical evergreen shrub or small tree, with rounded fruits, ripening over 2 years. To about 6m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
