Indigofera decora
| Indigofera decora | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Early Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Indigofera decora
Propagation: Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and sow February in a warm greenhouse. The germination can be variable. Prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle and overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse for the first winter, planting out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts[1].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel if possible, July/August in individual pots in a frame. Good percentage[1]. Overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in late spring or early summer[2].
Root cuttings 3cm long in December. Good percentage[1].
Suckers. Remove them in the dormant season, preferably towards the end of winter, and plant out into their permanent positions.
Cultivation: Requires a light or medium well-drained soil and a warm sunny position[2][3][4]. Succeeds on chalk[2]. Prefers growing in areas with warm summers[4].
Plants are hardy to about -10°c[4]. The top-growth is not very winter-hardy however, the stems are often cut back by cold weather but new shoots are produced in spring and these flower in late summer[5].
A very ornamental plant[6], it is closely related to I. fortunei[5].
The flowers, which are borne over a period of about 20 weeks, have a vanilla scent[7].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[3].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[3].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat: River banks and old stone walls in C. and S. Japan[8].
Edibility: Seed - cooked[9][10]. It can also be dried and ground into a powder then mixed with wheat flour or other cereals when making bread, cakes etc[11].
Medicinal: A broth made from the leafy shoots is used in the treatment of cough, dyspepsia, haemorrhage and poisoning[12].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: I. incarnata. Hedysarum incanum. Thunb. 1784. - this does not relate to I. incanum. Hedysarum incarnatum.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2. Pan Books, London, 1998.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.