Salvia japonica
| Salvia japonica | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Width: | 26' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Salvia japonica
Propagation: Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse[1]. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. In areas where the plant is towards the limits of its hardiness, it is best to grow the plants on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood succeed at almost any time in the growing season[1].
Cultivation: Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position[1]. Prefers a rich soil[2].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[1]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet[1].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[3].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea..
Habitat: Woods and thickets in hills and mountains, C. and S. Japan[4].
Edibility: Children suck the flowers (for the sweet nectar?)[5][6].
The leaves are used as a flavouring, they are a sage substitute[7].
Usage: A black dye is obtained from the plant, probably from the flowers[8].
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
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.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.