Gypsophila oldhamiana
| Gypsophila oldhamiana | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 4' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Gypsophila oldhamiana (common name: manchurian baby's breath)
Propagation: Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and, if growth is sufficient, plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If the plants are too small to plant out, grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter and then plant them out in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Basal cuttings before the plant flowers. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Root cuttings.
Cultivation: Requires a well-drained soil in full sun[1]. Lime tolerant, it grows well in a dryish soil[1].
Plants have a deep root system and are best left undisturbed once they have been planted out[2].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria.
Habitat: Scrub, mountain slope grasslands, rocks and maritime sands from sea level to 2,000 metres[3].
Edibility: A famine food, used when all else fails[4]. No more details are given. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Medicinal: The root is used in the treatment of jaundice, lung diseases, rheumatism and typhoid fever[5].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no mention has been seen for this species, at least one member of this genus has a root that is rich in saponins[6]. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm[7]. They
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.