Ephedra gerardiana
| Ephedra gerardiana | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 7' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Ephedra gerardiana (common name: ma huang)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse[1]. It can also be sown in spring in a greenhouse in a sandy compost[K]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in the spring or early summer after the last expected frosts and give some protection in their first winter[K].
Division in spring or autumn[2].
Layering.
Cultivation: Requires a well-drained loamy soil and a sunny position[3]. Established plants are drought resistant and are also lime tolerant[1].
Plants are hardy to about -15°c[1].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: E. Asia - S.W. China to the Himalayas.
Habitat: Stony slopes and gravel terraces in drier areas of the Himalayas at 2400 - 5000 metres from Afghanistan to Bhutan[4].
Edibility: Fruit - raw[5][6]. A sweet flavour[7]. The fruit is about 7mm in diameter[1].
Medicinal: Members of this genus contain various medicinally active alkaloids (but notably ephedrine) and they are widely used in preparations for the treatment of asthma and catarrh[2]. Ephedrine acts promptly to reduce swellings of the mucous membranes and has antispasmodic properties, thus making it valuable in the treatment of asthma[8]. This species contains between 0.28 and 2.79 alkaloids[9]. The whole plant can be used at much lower concentrations than the isolated constituents - unlike using the isolated ephedrine, using the whole plant rarely gives rise to side-effects[10]. The plant also has antiviral effects, particularly against influenza[2]. The stems are a pungent, bitter, warm herb that dilates the bronchial vessels whilst stimulating the heart and central nervous system[2]. The stems are also diaphoretic. diuretic and vasodilator[8][11][12][2]. They are used internally in the treatment of asthma, hay fever and allergic complaints[2]. They are also combined with a number of other herbs and used in treating a wide range of complaints238]. This herb should be used with great caution, preferably under the supervision of a qualified practitioner[2]. It should not be prescribed to patients who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or suffering from high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism or glaucoma[2]. Ephedrine is seen as a performance-boosting herb and, as such, is a forbidden substance in many sporting events such as athletics[K].
The stems are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are considered to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[13]. Febrifuge, tonic and vulnerary, they are used in the treatment of severe bleeding and chronic fevers[13]. A decoction of the stems and roots is used in Russia to treat rheumatism and syphilis[14].
The stems can be harvested at any time of the year and are dried for later use[2].
The juice of the berries is used to treat respiratory affections[14].
Usage: The wood is very close grained[7]. Too small for commercial exploitation, though it is used locally for fuel[6].
A good ground cover plant for dry soils[15]. Plants should be spaced about 60cm apart each way[16].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Dioecious
Also Known As: E. vulgaris. Rich.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gupta, Basant. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press, 1945.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Mills, Simon. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Tsarong, Tsewang. Tibetan Medicinal Plants. Tibetan Medical Publications, 1994.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Manandhar, N. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Himalaya. Department of Medicinal Plants, 1993.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.