Pediomelum pentaphyllum
Pediomelum pentaphyllum
Safety & Hazards
Although no specific mention of toxicity for this species has been found, at least some members of this genus are known to contain furanocoumarins, particularly psoralen and angelicin. These compounds can be found in low concentrations in many common foods including citrus fruirs, celery, parsley and parsnips. Ingestion or skin application of these compounds in larger quantities can cause skin photosensitization followed by hyperpigmentation[1, 2].
Cultivation Details
Pediomelum pentaphyllum is found from the warm temperate regions of southern USA to the tropical zone of central Mexico. It can be found growing in semi-arid areas in the north of its range, where it can experience frosts, to tropical deciduous forests in the south, where mean annual rainfall can be around 2,050mm[3]. Species in this genus generally require a well-drained soil in a sunny position, succeeding in most soils[4, 5]. Plants are very intolerant of root disturbance, they are best planted out into their permanent positions whilst still small[5]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[5].
Propagation
Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water, ensuring the seed has swollen before sowing. Sowing outdoors in situ is probably the safest way to start this plant off. If doing this, and seed stocks are in short supply, sow the seed in early spring around 5 - 10mm deep and place a moderate sized clear glass or plastic jar over the seed to help protect it from predation. Remove the jar once the plant is growing well. Alternatively, sow the soaked seed in early to mid spring in a greenhouse. Either sow the seed in individual pots or pot up the young seedlings as soon as possible in order to avoid root disturbance. Grow them on in the pots until planting out in their final positions. It is usually impossible to transplant this species without fatal damage to the root[5]. Division in spring. With great care since the plant resents root disturbance. It is virtually impossible to divide this species successfully[5]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Pediomelum+pentaphyllum>
Pollinators
Bees, Insects
References
- [1]A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. — Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. · Wolfe · 1984 · ISBN 0723408394 ↩︎Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
- [2]Furocoumarins and Other Secondary Metabolites from Psoralea canescens — Innocenti G.; Bourgaud F.; Piovan A. & Favretto D. · 1997 · ISBN 0925-1618 ↩︎
- [3]Biblioteca Digital de la Medicina Tradicional Mexicana — http://www.medicinatradicionalmexicana.unam.mx/index.php ↩︎A very valuable on-line resource with detailed information on many hundreds of medicinal plants used in Mexico
- [4]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [5]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [6]Effect of plants used in Mexico to treat gastrointestinal disorders on charcoal-gum acacia-induced hyperperistalsis — Calzada F.; Arista R.; Perez H. · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2010 ↩︎A study of 28 plant extracts and their effectiveness in treating diarrhoea and dysentery.