Otherwise known as: Wallpepper; Creeping Tom.
Habitat: An evergreen perennial member of the Crassulaceae family creating a mat-forming herb with a creeping rhizome with numerous stems bearing triangular fleshy leaves topped by a pale yellow star shaped flower. The leaves have a peppery acrid taste, hence its common name, ‘Wallpepper’, and it is poisonous in all parts. It grows to about 13cm in rocky and barren soil in Europe and North Africa.
The plant is often found growing on dry-stone walls and stone tiled roofs and has a capacity to bind the stones together. This habit is probably responsible for its generic name Sedum, which is derived from the Latin word—sedere—to sit, because the plant appears to be sitting on the walls or stones.
What does it do: Stonecrop contains several alkaloids, principally sedamine and sedanine, tannins, sugars and vitamin C. In Celtic tradition the plant was known as Orpies and was thought to treat a variety of afflictions which ranged from rabies, snake and spider bite, and hives. In Irish folk medicine it was used to treat shingles (Herpes Zoster), kidney stones and parasitic intestinal worms. Pliny suggests that the plant will procure good sleep, although he recommends it be wrapped in black cloth and placed under the patient’s pillow without their knowledge. Gerard recognized its worm expelling qualities and was responsible for making an vermicidal syrup known as ‘theriac’. Culpepper, was the first physician to offer a note of caution when dealing with Stonecrop, because he had witnessed some serious consequences when treating a patient for kidney stones, He wrote’ .. it is more apt to raise inflammations than cure them; it ought not be put in any ointment, nor any other medicine’. However, he grew to change his mind and claimed it was excellent in treating scurvy and the’ King’s Evil’: scrofula. In the 19thc it was still being used by herbalists to treat warts, swellings and dropsy. Other members of this family have proven efficient in the treatment of haemorrhoids, dysentery and diarrhea.
Current research into the Crassulaceae family, suggest that it may have cancer treating properties.
