Gypsophila, with its small white flowers, is also known as baby’s breath. It is popularly used by gardeners and florists to lighten up large bouquets of flowers. Less well known is that gypsophila is also used in herbal medicine as a remedy.
Occurrence and cultivation of gypsophila.
A total of about 120 different species exist, many of which produce the familiar delicate white flowers. Gypsophila belongs to the clove family. A total of about 120 different species exist, many of which form the familiar delicate, white flowers. Native to Europe is the wall gypsophila (Gypsophila muralis), which in some regions is called field gypsophila. It blooms from July to October. The annual herb reaches a height of about 20 centimeters and forms kidney-shaped seeds. It is widespread from southern Europe to southern Scandinavia. In southern Germany, the plant appears relatively often; in northern Germany, however, it is very rare. A similar distribution characterizes the so-called tufted gypsophila (Gypsophila fastigiata). It is also known under the name Ebensträußiges Gipskraut. In Germany there are scattered occurrences from the Palatinate to western Brandenburg. Creeping gypsophila (Gypsophila repens) is a perennial that flowers from May to September. It requires gypsiferous or calcareous soils and occurs in nature only in the alpine region at altitudes from 1300 meters. A special case is the gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata), which is known as gypsophila. It is considerably larger than the wall gypsophila and can grow up to almost one meter. It originated in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, but now grows wild in Europe.
Effect and application
Cultivated as an ornamental plant is mainly the Rispige gypsophila or gypsophila. However, it can thrive well only in a dry location. It needs a lot of sun and prefers sandy, nutrient-poor soils. The addition of compost should be avoided. In the border, Rispige Gypsophila is often combined as a companion plant to large-flowered perennials, adding a delicate, slightly old-fashioned charm to the garden. Gypsophila is also popular in bouquets to provide a delicate background for flowers with larger blooms. Classics include bouquets of red roses or ornamental asparagus coordinated with baby’s breath. At weddings, the plant is often used as a floral decoration. On the one hand, the herb with white flowers harmonizes perfectly with a bridal veil. On the other hand, the plant is symbolic of devotion. Creeping gypsophila (Gypsophila repens) can also be cultivated in the garden. However, the soil must be sufficiently calcareous. This alpine plant likes to settle in stone joints and on the tops of walls. It can also serve well as a ground cover. That is why gardeners also call it carpet-veil. Traditionally, the beet-like roots of gypsophila have been collected and dried for their soap-like constituents. By boiling the white root for about ten minutes, a lye can be made, which may still be diluted with water. Because the resulting natural detergent is particularly gentle, it is also used industrially for cleaning furs and leather goods. The dried roots are also brewed with water to make tea. This is usually drunk two to three times a day for coughs or bronchitis. Also in some expectorant preparations available in pharmacies, extracts of baby’s breath root are included.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The active constituents in all applications are the saponins and phytosterols contained in the roots of gypsophila. Saponins owe their name to the fact that they form a soap-like foam when combined with water. Due to its high content of saponins, the root of gypsophila can be boiled and used as a detergent. The saponins also show an expectorant effect when taken orally. Tea made from dried gypsophila root can therefore have a soothing effect on irritable coughs, but on the other hand it can also promote expectoration in the case of bronchitis. A daily dose of 30 to 150 mg of dried root should not be exceeded as a precaution. So far, no side effects of gypsum herb is known when taken in these small amounts. Interactions with other drugs are also not known.During pregnancy and lactation, the use of preparations from the pharmacy containing gypsophila or its root and drinking gypsophila tea is advised only under medical supervision. This is to be considered as a precautionary measure, because there are still no studies on the safety of this medicinal herb during pregnancy. On the other hand, it is known that taking too much of the dried gypsophila roots can cause side effects. On the one hand, stomach pain may occur, diarrhea and bladder irritation may also be the result. A rarer, but also documented side effect is the occurrence of dizziness. In folk medicine, gypsophila is also said to have other effects, but most of these have not yet been adequately documented. For example, it is said to have a diuretic effect. The herb is also said to have a spermicidal effect. Gypsophila is also said to help drive away pests. The phytosterols contained in gypsophila may help lower cholesterol levels. However, whether phytosterols taken orally can actually do this is controversial. Different studies reached quite different conclusions on this issue.
