Polygonum lapathifolium
| Polygonum lapathifolium | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Polygonum lapathifolium (common name: curlytop knotweed)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually free and easy. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer if they have reached sufficient size. If not, overwinter them in a cold frame and plant them out the following spring after the last expected frosts.
Cultivation: Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil[1] but prefers a moisture retentive not too fertile soil in sun or part shade[2]. Repays generous treatment[1].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[3].
Range: Temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, including Britain. S. Africa.
Habitat: Swampy thickets, shores, damp clearings and cultivated fields in N. America[4].
Edibility: Young leaves - raw or cooked[5][6].
Seed - raw or cooked. It is rather small and fiddly to utilize.
Medicinal: The whole plant is antiseptic and astringent[7]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of stomach complaints and fevers[8].
The plant produces a soft white mass, a froth like that of soap. It is applied externally to burns[9].
Usage: The plant produces a soft white mass, a froth like that of soap. It is used for bathing and washing clothes[9].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific mention has been made for this species, there have been reports that some members of this genus can cause photosensitivity in susceptible people._x005F
Many species also contain oxalic acid (the distinctive lemony flavour of sorrel) - whil
Also Known As: P. scabrum. Moench. Persicaria lapathifolium. (L.)S.F.Gray.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.