Practical
Plants

Clinopodium chinense

a perennial member of the Clinopodium genus in the family Labiatae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Fertility
Bees, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - cooked[2][3]. A sweet and aromatic herb tea is made from the leaves[4].

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat
Woods and thickets in hills and low mountains all over Japan[6]. Sunny meadows from the lowlands to elevations of 1500 metres in Japan[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light 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 - sow spring in a cold frame. Only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks at 21°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse. Plant them out in the summer if they have made sufficient growth, otherwise plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Division in 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 summer or following spring. Cuttings of soft wood in May or June.

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in almost any well-drained soil[1]. A polymorphic species[6]. Plants are best grown in a rock garden[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  5. Flora of Japan www.foj.info

    ↩

  6. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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