Gynostemma pentaphyllum
| Gynostemma pentaphyllum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 26' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Gynostemma pentaphyllum (common name: sweet tea vine)
Propagation: Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in spring in a rich compost in a greenhouse, placing 2 - 3 seeds per pot. Thin the seedlings to the strongest in each pot and grow the plants on fast. Plant them out after the last expected frosts and protect them with a frame or cloche until they are growing away well.
Cultivation: Requires a rich well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in a warm sheltered position in partial shade[1].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[2]. A problematic crop outdoors in Britain, it can be grown successfully as an annual in a greenhouse but requires a long hot summer if it is to do well outdoors.
Plants tend to be annuals or short-lived perennials[1].
A climbing plant, attaching itself to supports by means of tendrils[1].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Some plants might be monoecious[2].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat: Thickets in open forests in lowland all over Japan[3][4].
Edibility: Leaves and young stems - cooked[5][6][7].
The leaves have a sweet taste and are used as a tea[5][6][7].
Medicinal: The whole plant is a tonic herb that improves the circulation, stimulates liver function, strengthens the immune and nervous systems, and reduces blood sugar and cholesterol levels[1]. It also has sedative effects, relieving spasms and lowering the blood pressure[1]. It is used internally in the treatment of nervous tension and exhaustion, peptic ulcer, asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer[1]. It was rated among the ten most important tonic herbs at a conference on traditional medicines in Beijing in 1991[1].
Usage: The plant is used in proprietary preparations for cosmetics and anti-ageing tonics[1].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Late Spring-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Dioecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Flora of Japan.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.