Meconopsis aculeata
| Meconopsis aculeata | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-7.3 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Meconopsis aculeata
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in late summer. Spring sown seed is slower to germinate[1]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation: Grows best in a woodland soil in partial shade[2][1]. The soil should be lime-free, moist, well-drained and moderately rich[1]. Dislikes full sun and windy positions[1].
Monocarpic, the plants living for a number of years before flowering but then dying once they flower[1].
Range: E. Asia - W. Himalayas from Pakistan to Uttar Pradesh.
Habitat: Rocky slopes and damp rocks, 3000 - 4000 metres[3]
Edibility: The plant is said to be edible[4] but no further details are known, not even which part of the plant can be eaten.
Medicinal: The root contains narcotic principles[5][6].
The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[7]. Analgesic and febrifuge, it is used to help heal broken bones, to treat inflammation from fractures and pain in the upper bodily region, especially around the ribs[7].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The whole plant, but especially the root, is considered to be poisonous, it contains narcotic principles[5][6].
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Coventry, B. Wild Flowers of Kashmir. Raithby, Lawrence and Co, 1923.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Tsarong, Tsewang. Tibetan Medicinal Plants. Tibetan Medical Publications, 1994.