Practical
Plants

Achyranthes bidentata

Niu Xi

a perennial member of the Achyranthes genus in the family Amaranthaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.75 m
Spread
0.4 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

One report suggests that the root is poisonous[5].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked. A good substitute for cereal grains in bread-making, they have often been used for this purpose in famine years[6][3][7]. Leaves - cooked[3][4]. Used as a vegetable in the same manner as spinach[5].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The roots, leaves and stems are widely used in Chinese herbal medicine[7]. They are anodyne, antirheumatic, bitter, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue and vasodilator. They act predominantly on the lower half of the body and are used in the treatment of aching back and knees and asthenia of the lower limbs[2][7][8]. Research suggests that they can cause dilation of the cervix and so this herb should not be used when pregnant[7]. The herb is taken internally to treat hypertension, back pains, urine in the blood, menstrual pain, bleeding etc[7]. The root juice is used in Nepal in the treatment of toothache[9]. This juice is also used in the treatment of indigestion and is considered to be a good treatment for asthma[9]. The stem of the plant is used as a toothbrush that is said to be good for the teeth and is also a treatment for pyorrhoea[9]. The plant can be used fresh or dried. The leaves and stems are harvested in the summer and are usually crushed for their juice or used in tinctures[7]. The roots are harvested from 1 or 2 year old plants in the autumn or winter and usually dried and ground into a powder or used in decoctions[7].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Bitter
Product or use
Digestive
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Vasodilator
Product or use
Antiasthmatic
Product or use
Odontalgic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Two insect-moulting hormones are found in the roots[1]. Can this have a practical application as an insecticide? The stem of the plant is used as a toothbrush that is said to be good for the teeth and is also a treatment for pyorrhoea[9].

Product or use
Insecticide
Product or use
Dental care

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, India.
Habitat
Forest edges, the sides of streams and shrubberies[8]. Moist shady places at elevations of 1200 - 3000 metres in Nepal[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow late spring in a greenhouse. Germination should be fairly rapid, prick out the seedlings into individual pots of fairly rich soil when they are large enough to handle. It is probably wise to grow this plant on in the greenhouse for its first winter, planting it out into its permanent position in late spring after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a rich, sandy, slightly acid soil in partial shade[7]. This species is probably not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to at least -5°c[7]. When grown in a rich soil the roots can be up to 1.2 metres long[7]. Widely cultivated in China, especially in Henan Province, as a medicinal plant[7] and as a food plant[5].

References

  1. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

  2. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

  4. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  5. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11

  8. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2

  9. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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