Harmal Seeds Peganum Harmala seeds SYRIAN RUE
LATIN NAME: Peganum harmala
COMMON NAME: Harmal
The harmal branches the many wiry stems into the rounded clumps, the narrow, divided leaves and the white flowers along them, and the whole plant carries the tough, sunlit look of the dry steppe. The hardy, perennial herb carries the narrow, deeply divided leaves along the many wiry, erect, branched stems, and the white, five-petalled flowers with the many slender stamens, in the loose clusters at the branch tips, through the summer, one of the tough, quiet sights of the dry steppe, drawing the bees, to be followed by the round, three-chambered capsules with the many small, brown, triangular seeds. The triangular seeds have a very long record in the old practice of the dry lands, and the plant is a historic presence of the dry steppe. It is a plant of the open, sunny, light, well-drained ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The harmal is a historic subject of the plant science, and the white flowers keep showing up in the work on the steppe herbs. The way the white, five-petalled flowers with the many slender stamens form in the loose clusters at the branch tips has been studied closely, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the steppe herbs, the divided leaves and the members of the nitraria family. The triangular seeds and the tough habit have also made it a fine study herb, and the harmal is a regular subject of the work on the white flowers of the dry world.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
The harmal is a tough, useful plant of the dry steppe and the study collection. The narrow, deeply divided leaves along the many wiry, erect, branched stems carry the tough look of the dry steppe, one of the tough, quiet sights of the dry steppe, drawing the bees, and the triangular seeds have a very long record in the old practice of the dry lands, the strong, dark roots coming to the old dyes and the steady craft of the old lands, while the white, five-petalled flowers with the many slender stamens, in the loose clusters at the branch tips, open through the summer, to be followed by the round, three-chambered capsules with the many small, brown, triangular seeds. It is one of the fine choices for the dry steppe, the gravel bank and the study collection, and it has been written about in the botanical and the ethnobotanical papers for the triangular seeds and the very long history. It is a tough, useful plant of the open, sunny, light, well-drained garden.
The harmal seeds grow well in a gritty, sandy loam kept lightly moist. The young rosettes are tough and sun-loving, and they take the light, dry ground of the open bank well.
To grow the harmal from seed, sow the small, triangular seeds directly into the deep pot of gritty, sandy loam, water gently, then keep the pot in a bright, open spot. The seedlings show themselves within a couple of weeks, and they grow on steadily. With the sun and the light, well-drained ground, the white flowers will branch over the summer.
Medicinal uses Peganum harmala is used as an analgesic and antiinflammatory agent.
In Yemen it was used to treat depression,and it has been established in the laboratory that harmaline, an active ingredient in Peganum harmala, is a central nervous system stimulant and a "reversible inhibitor of MAO-A (RIMA)," a category of antidepressant.
Peganum harmalaSmoke from the seeds kills algae, bacteria, intestinal parasites and molds. Peganum harmala has "antibacterial activity," including antibacterial activity against drug-resistant bacteria.
The "root is applied to kill lice" and when burned, the seeds kill insects.It also inhibits the reproduction of the Tribolium castaneum beetle.
It is also used as an anthelmintic (to expel parasitic worms). Reportedly the ancient Greeks used powdered Peganum harmala seeds to get rid of tapeworms and to treat recurring fevers (possibly malaria).
Peganum harmala is an abortifacient, and, in large quantities, it can reduce spermatogenesis and male fertility in rats.
Syrian rue prefers dry sandy soil with an alkaline PH. A mixture of half sand and half soil is ideal. Adding lime can also help make the PH more alkaline. A cactus potting soil will also work well. Sow the seeds just under the surface of the soil and mist lightly. Syrian rue seedlings are prone to damping off, so make sure to limit your watering. Some growers will choose to cover the soil with clear plastic until germination begins. Others will leave it exposed to the open air. Syrian rue prefers warm temperatures for germination, so bottom heat is beneficial. Fluorescent light works well for starting seeds. Although a warm sunny window can also suffice. Outdoors, keep your plants out of direct sun for the first year. Seeds sown outdoors are best off being started in mid-summer. Sow just below the surface of a loose, sandy soil. The plants are sensitive to transplanting, but it can be managed if you do not disturb the roots.