Asparagus cochinchinensis
| Asparagus cochinchinensis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Asparagus cochinchinensis (common name: chinese asparagus)
Propagation: Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring or as soon as the seed is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 25°c[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer[K].
Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.
Cultivation: Easily grown in any good garden soil[2]. Prefers a rich light well-drained sandy loam in a sunny position[3].
Plants are almost hardy in Britain according to one report[4], whilst others say that the plants tolerate temperatures down to between -10 and -15°c[2][3].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat: Near seashores all over Japan[5]. Thinly forested slopes, roadsides and waste fields from near sea level to 1700 metres in China[6].
Edibility: Tubers - cooked[4][7][8]. The tubers are up to 5cm long and 2m wide[6]. They are washed to remove the bitterness, the fibrous core is removed and the root is then boiled[9][10]. It tastes like asparagus[11]. Another report says that the tubers are eaten after preserving in sugar[12].
The fruit is said to be edible[12]. The fruit is about 6 - 8mm in diameter[2]. Another report says that the berries are harmful if eaten[3].
Medicinal: This species has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years[3]. The dried root is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiseptic, antitussive, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, sialagogue, stomachic, nervous stimulant and tonic[13][14][15][3][16]. It is taken internally in the treatment of fevers, debility, sore throats, coughs etc[3]. It is often decocted with other herbs and used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments including diabetes mellitus[15]. Prolonged usage is recommended for the treatment of impotence[15]. The root is harvested when the plant is dormant and is dried for later use[3].
The plant has a folk history for the treatment of cancer, modern research has detected antitumour activity and it is now being studied for the treatment of lung cancer[15].
Usage: Kills the larvae of flies and mosquitoes[13]. No more details.
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Dioecious
Also Known As: A. cochinchinensis. (Lour.)Merr. A. falcatus. Benth. A. insularis. Hance. Melanthium cochinchinensis.
Links
References
- ↑ Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ Douglas, James. Alternative Foods.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Yeung, Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1985.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea. World Health Organisation, 1998.