Coptis japonica
| Coptis japonica | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-6.5 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Coptis japonica
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in an ericaceous compost[1]. Seal the pot in a polythene bag until germination takes place, which is usually within 1 - 6 months at 10°c[1]. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible. Four weeks cold stratification may be beneficial[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow on in a shady part of the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out in mid-autumn or in spring.
Division in spring[2].
Cultivation: Requires a light moist humus-rich slightly acidic soil with a northerly aspect or light shade[3][2].
Range: E. Asia - Japan.
Habitat: Woods in mountains all over Japan[4].
Medicinal: The root is a pungent, very bitter, cooling herb that controls bacterial and viral infections, relaxes spasms, lowers fevers and stimulates the circulation[5]. It is locally analgesic and anaesthetic[5] and is also anti-inflammatory and stomachic. It is used in the treatment of intestinal catarrh[6][7][8], dysentery, enteritis, high fevers, inflamed mouth and tongue, conjunctivitis etc[5].
The root is harvested in the autumn and can be used fresh or dried[5].
Usage: Can be grown as a ground cover plant in the peat garden[2].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific mention of toxicity has been found for this species, it belongs to a family that contains many species that are mildly toxic and so it is wise to treat this plant with some caution.
Also Known As: C. anemonaefolia. Sieb.&Zucc. C. orientalis. Thalictrum japonicum.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Kariyone, Tatsuo. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.