Lavatera cachemiriana
| Lavatera cachemiriana | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 8' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Lavatera cachemiriana (common name: lavatera)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed[1]. Germination is usually quick and good. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer[K].
Basal cuttings in spring.
Cuttings of softwood in June/July[2].
Cultivation: Avery easily grown plant, succeeding in any ordinary garden soil in sun or partial shade[3][4]. Prefers a light well-drained moderately fertile soil in full sun[1]. A soil that is too rich encourages foliar growth at the expense of flowering[1]. Tolerates maritime exposure[1].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[4].
This species is considered by some botanists to be no more than a minor variant of L. thuringiaca[4].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas from Pakistan to Uttar Pradesh.
Habitat: Humus rich soils[5] in meadows and forest clearings, 1800 - 3600 metres[6]. Wet meadows or sunny slopesat elevations of 540 - 2200 metresin Tibet[7].
Edibility: Young leaves - raw or cooked. A mild flavour, but they are tough and not very worthwhile[K]. When cooked they have a somewhat slimy consistency[K].
Flowers - raw. Rather bland, but an attractive garnish to a salad[K].
Medicinal: Demulcent, pectoral, purgative[8].
Usage: A strong fibre is obtained from the stems, it is used for making string, bags, paper etc[9].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.