Tollkirsche

Succeeds in any well-drained moisture retentive soil in sun or partial shade. Prefers a calcareous soil. When grown as a medicinal plant, the highest levels of the medically active alkaloids are obtained from plants growing on a light, permeable chalky soil, especially when on a south-west facing slope. The highest concentrations are also formed when the plant is growing in a sunny position and in hot summers. The northerly limits of cultivation are about 50 - 55° north and at an altitude between 100 - 200 metres. This species is widely cultivated, especially in eastern Europe, for the medically active compounds it contains. These are used in the drugs industry to produce a range of medicines. Plants tend to be short-lived. Slugs are very fond of this plant and have been known to completely remove the outer bark from the stems[K].

None known

This species has been found to be effective in removing PCB's from the soil and detoxifying them. The plant is more effective in doing this if it is infected with the bacterial parasite Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Heimisch: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Brussels-Capital Region, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, DK, FI, Flanders, Flemish Region, France, Germany, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Morocco, NO, NW. Balkan Pen., Netherlands, Newfoundland, North America, North Caucasus, Poland, Portugal, Portugal Continental, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Walloon Region, conterminous 48 United States Eingeführt: Baltic States, California, China Southeast, Denmark, EE, Finland, IE, Illinois, Ireland, LT, Lithuania, Michigan, Missouri, NO, New Jersey, New Zealand South, Norway, PT, Portugal, SC, SE, South Australia, Sweden, Tristan da Cunha, Washington