Saururus chinensis
| Saururus chinensis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 4' |
| Blooms: | Late Summer-Early Fall |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Saururus chinensis
Propagation: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in early autumn. Sow stored seed in late winter or early spring. Keep the pots moist by standing them in shallow water[1]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring[2][1]. The plants spread freely and division is possible at almost any time in the growing season. Divisions taken in mid to late summer should be overwintered in pots in a cold frame and then be planted out in late spring. Regular division maintains the vigour of the plant[1].
Cultivation: This is a plant for a boggy area of the garden, it is able to withstand temporary flooding[3]. It prefers a loamy soil[2] growing well in pond margins though it spreads vigorously[3]. It can succeed in damp sites in the woodland as well as in the bog garden[1].
Plants are fairly cold tolerant, but are best given a protective mulch in the winter[3].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat: Low damp places by water[4]. Wet places, ditches, meadows, riverbanks, streamsides, forests, thickets, roadsides and field margins from near sea level to 1700 metres[5].
Medicinal: Antiperiodic, parasiticide[6][7].
The flowers are antimalarial, diuretic, eliminative, laxative and parasiticide[8].
The root is antimalarial, depurative, eliminative and parasiticide[8].
The whole plant is antiphlogistic, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge and refrigerant[4][8]. A decoction is used in the treatment of oedema, nephritis-associated oedema, nutritional oedema, inflammatory conditions and calculus of the urinary system, rheumatoid arthritis, boils and abscesses, rashes and fungal infections of the skin[4].
The leaves are used as a poultice to clean abscesses and boils[4][8].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: S. loureier.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Muhlberg, Helmut. Complete Guide to Water Plants. Sterling Publishing, 1982.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.