Desmodium styracifolium - Guang Jing Qian Cao

Family:	Leguminosae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.75
Synonyms:
Range:	E. Asia - China.

Desmodium styracifolium (Guang Jing Qian Cao) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.75m . It has a hardness rating of 0.
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Insects

Soil Information

Guang Jing Qian Cao will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Guang Jing Qian Cao prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Guang Jing Qian Cao should not be planted in shady areas.

Hillsides and low-growing thickets in waste places[147].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge

Cultivation Details

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 could succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny sheltered position[200]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The whole plant is diuretic and febrifuge[147, 218]. It is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[147]. A decoction of the plant is used in the treatment of gallstones, urinary tract stones and hepatitis[218].

• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Febrifuge - Reduces fevers.
• VD - Used in the treatment of venereal disease

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Scarify and pre-soak stored seed for 5 hours in warm water then sow March in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates within 1 - 4 months at 25°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer and consider giving them some protection from frost in their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame. Division as the plant comes into growth in the spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Root cuttings in winter.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of China

Author:
Rating: http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher : On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.
Date of Publication : 1994

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