Ardisia crenata
Coralberry
a perennial woody evergreen member of the Ardisia genus in the family Myrsinaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Myrsinaceae
- Genus
- Ardisia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 2 m
- Spread
- 2 m
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
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 root is anodyne, depurative, febrifuge[2][4]. It is used to stimulate blood circulation[2].
- Product or use
- Anodyne
- Product or use
- Depurative
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, India.
- Habitat
- Woods in low mountains, C. and S. Japan[6]. Forests, hillsides, valleys, shrubby areas, dark damp places at elevations of 100 - 2400 metres[5].
- Shade tolerance
- partial shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best harvested when it is ripe in the winter and sown immediately in a greenhouse[1]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a shady part of the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, once the plants are 20cm or more tall. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in summer[3]. Grow on in cool, shaded humid conditions until well rooted[3].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a well-drained humus rich soil in partial shade in a position sheltered from cold drying winds[3]. We are not sure if this plant is hardy outdoors in Britain. One report says that it is hardy in zone 7 (tolerating temperatures down to between -10 and -15°c) but then goes on to suggest that it needs an essentially frost-free climate and is often grown as an indoor pot plant in Britain[3]. This species is closely related to A. pseudocrispa, from which it differs in having crenate leaves with a distinct marginal vein[5]. There has been some confusion between this species and A. crispa, the name Ardisia crispa was misapplied by de Candolle to Ardisia crenata[5].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00