Practical
Plants

Carpesium divaricatum

a perennial member of the Carpesium genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Leaves - cooked[2].

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 root, or the whole plant, is carminative, depurative, febrifuge and vermifuge[1][3]. A decoction is used in the treatment of acute enteritis, abdominal pains, abscesses, poisonous snakebites and arthralgia[1]. It is quite likely that it is the seeds that are used as a vermifuge - the book is rather vague but the seed of other members of this genus is vermicide[K].

Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Vermifuge

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Manchuria.
Habitat
Cool, shady and damp waste places, roadsides and hillsides in China[1]. Grassy fields in partial shade in forests in Japan[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed and do not allow the compost to dry out. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring.

Cultivation

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

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 should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. See the plants native habitat for ideas on its cultivation needs.

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  4. Flora of Japan www.foj.info

    ↩

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