Drymaria cordata
| Drymaria cordata | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Drymaria cordata (common name: west indin chickweed)
Propagation: Seed - sow in situ in the spring. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 4 weeks at 20°c[1].
Cultivation: Prefers a rather rich soil in full sun[2][1].
We have very little information on this species and have some doubts about how hardy it is in this country. We assume that it is a perennial plant that can be grown in Britain as a frost-tender annual.
Range: E. Asia - Japan, India and extending to the Tropics.
Habitat: Lowland in C. Japan[3]. The plant grows in tropical and sub-tropical India, but extends into the Himalayas up to elevations of 2100 metres[4].
Edibility: Tender young leaves and shoots - raw or cooked as a vegetable[5]. The leaves are used as a salad for their cooling properties[4]. Another report says that the herb is eaten raw or cooked as a stimulant[6].
Medicinal: The pounded leaf is applied to snake bites in China[6].
The plant is appetizer, depurative, emollient, febrifuge, laxative and stimulant[6][4][5]. The juice of the plant is used[4].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Focus on Plants Volume 5. Thompson and Morgan, 1991.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.