Practical
Plants

Belamcanda chinensis

Leopard Lily

a perennial member of the Belamcanda genus in the family Iridaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Iridaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
0.25 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.

The plant is slightly toxic[3].

Edible uses

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

Leaves - cooked[1][5]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Plant part
Leaves

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 leopard lily has a very long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. It is a bitter cooling herb that acts mainly on the lungs and the liver, lowering fevers and reducing inflammation[11]. It is effective against a number of bacterial, fungal and viral organisms[11] and has also been used as an antidote to snakebites[12]. The root contains several medically active constituents including flavonoids and isoflavonoids[14]. It is analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, depurative, expectorant, febrifuge, pectoral, purgative, stomachic and tonic[15][17][3][4][6][9][11][14]. It is used in the treatment of acute laryngitis, acute tonsillitis, oedema of the glottis and cough with profuse sputum[4][14]. The juice of the root is used in Nepal to treat liver complaints, where it has the added benefit of improving the appetite[13]. This juice is also used to abort a foetus during the first trimester of pregnancy[13]. The root should not be prescribed for pregnant women[11]. The root is harvested in the summer and autumn, and dried for later use[11].

Product or use
Analgesic
Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antidote
Product or use
Antifungal
Product or use
Antiinflammatory
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Hepatic
Product or use
Pectoral
Product or use
Purgative
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Abortifacient

Material uses

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

The root contains tannin[13].

Product or use
Tannin

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
Habitat
Shrubberies and banks at the edge of cultivation in rich damp soils in the Himalayas[16][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
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 sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Pre-chill stored seed for 7 days and sow spring in a cold frame. The seed germinates in 2 - 8 weeks at 20°c[2]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. They can be planted out in early autumn and should flower in the following year[8]. Division in spring or early autumn[8]. Larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Cultivation

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

Requires a fairly rich sandy or loamy soil in a bright sunny position or light shade. Succeeds in most soils[7]. Requires a position that stays moist in the summer[7]. Plants grow best in areas with long hot summers[11]. A fairly hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -15°c[7] if given a deep dry mulch over the winter. A short lived plant, the bulbs are usually lifted in the autumn and stored in a cool but frost-free place over the winter, replanting them in the spring[10]. They can be left in the ground in the milder areas of the country so long as the soil is well-drained[10]. Individual flowers only live for one day, but the plant produces a succession of blooms over a period of several weeks[11]. Slugs really love this plant and can destroy even quite large clumps as they come into growth in the spring[K].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩

  3. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  7. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  9. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  10. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩1↩2

  11. 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

  12. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila 1998-00-00 ISBN 92 9061 120 0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  15. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  16. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩

  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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