Daphne genkwa
Lilac Daphne
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Daphne genus in the family Thymelaeaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Thymelaeaceae
- Genus
- Daphne
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Spread
- 1.5 m
- Fertility
- Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera
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.
All parts of the plant are poisonous[15]. Skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in some people[12].
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.
This plant has a history of herbal use going back over 3,500 years[14]. It is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[13]. The flower buds are a bitter acrid herb that is used to control coughs. The buds are anticoagulant, antiseptic, antitussive, antiviral, diuretic, purgative and stomachic[3][5][6][7][8][13]. They are used internally in the treatment of bronchitis, constipation, oedema and skin diseases[14]. The buds are also used as an abortifacient[14]. They are applied externally in the treatment of frostbite[14]. The buds are harvested and dried in the spring[14] and are used after they have been stored for several years[5]. The root is abortifacient, anticoagulant, diuretic, purgative and vesicant[13].
- Product or use
- Abortifacient
- Product or use
- Anticoagulant
- Product or use
- Antiseptic
- Product or use
- Antitussive
- Product or use
- Antiviral
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Purgative
- Product or use
- Stomachic
- Product or use
- Vesicant
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - N. and C. China, Korea.
- Habitat
- Margins of paddy fields, hillsides and valleys[2][3]. Grassy hills and plains, limestone cliffs, on boulders, on conglomerate and in piles of stones removed from fields[10].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe with the pot sealed in a polythene bag to hold in the moisture. Remove this bag as soon as germination takes place[4]. The seed usually germinates better if it is harvested 'green' (when it has fully developed but before it dries on the plant) and sown immediately. Germination should normally take place by spring, though it sometimes takes a further year. Stored seed is more problematic. It should be warm stratified for 8 - 12 weeks at 20°c followed by 12 - 14 weeks at 3°c. Germination may still take another 12 months or more at 15°c[4]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first winter and then plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Root cuttings, December in a greenhouse.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
There is some disagreement over whether this species needs an acid or alkaline soil. According to some reports it requires a lime-free porous soil and semi-shade[1][12] whilst another report says that it is probably best in a deep rubbly well-drained soil in a warm corner and kept well watered in a dry growing season[2]. Yet another report says that it grows best in a neutral to alkaline soil in sun or semi-shade[14]. A good sandy loam suits most members of this genus[2]. Plants are hardy to about -20°c, but they are short-lived and difficult to grow in cultivation in Britain[2][10]. This might be because our summers are not warm enough for the plants to develop properly[2][10], they seem to be fully hardy after hot summers[11]. It is tricky to get this plant to flower because the buds are formed in the autumn on wood of that year's growth and they may not survive our variable winters[2][9]. Produces suckers when growing in its native habitat. Plants are best grown on their own roots, grafted plants tend to be unsatisfactory. Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible[11].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00
Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00
Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00
Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
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
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291