Artemisia capillaris
| Artemisia capillaris | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 6.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Mid Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Artemisia capillaris (common name: yin chen hao)
Propagation: Seed - surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse[1]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Division in spring or autumn.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, succeeding in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a sunny position[2][1]. Established plants are drought tolerant[1]. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil[3].
This species is probably not hardy in all parts of Britain, it tolerates temperatures down to at least -5°c[4].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.[1]
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[5].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria.
Habitat: Grassy thickets[6], and along rivers and seashores, C. and S. Japan[7]. Humid slopes, hills, terraces, roadsides and river banks at elevations of 100 - 2700 metres in China[8].
Edibility: Leaves and stems - soaked and boiled[9].
Medicinal: Yin Chen Hao has been used in Chinese herbal medicine for over 2,000 years. It is considered to be a bitter and cooling herb, clearing "damp heat" from the liver and gall ducts and relieving fevers[10]. It is an effective remedy for liver problems, being specifically helpful in treating hepatitis with jaundice[10]. Modern research has confirmed that the plant has a tonic and strengthening effect upon the liver, gallbladder and digestive system[10].
The leaves and young shoots are antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, antiviral, cholagogue, diuretic, febrifuge and vasodilator[6][11][12][13]. An infusion is used internally in the treatment of jaundice, hepatitis, gall bladder complaints and feverish illnesses[4]. Externally it has been applied in the form of a plaster for treating headaches[10]. The plant is harvested in late spring and can be dried for later use[4]. Yin Chen Hao is contraindicated for pregnant women[10].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, skin contact with some members of this genus can cause dermatitis or other allergic reactions in some people[14].
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ Yeung, Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1985.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.