Rumex hastatus
| Rumex hastatus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Rumex hastatus
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. It is likely to succeed in dry soils. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Succeeds in most soils but prefers a deep fertile moderately heavy soil that is humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained and a position in full-sun or part shade[1].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas.
Habitat: Wasteland, dry slopes and rocks to elevations of 2400 metres[2]. Shady slopes or dry streambeds at elevations of 1000 - 2600 metres in Nepal[3].
Edibility: Tender young leaves and shoots - raw or cooked[3]. A sour, acid flavour, it is eaten as a sorrel[4][2][5].
Medicinal: The juice of the plant is astringent and is used in the treatment of bloody dysentery[3]. The fresh tuber is chewed to relieve aches in the throat[3].
Usage: The root contains 25 - 30% tannin[3].
Although no specific mention has been made for this species, dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots of many species in this genus, They do not need a mordant[6].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Late Spring-Early Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-
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References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.