Practical
Plants

Fritillaria thunbergii

Zhe Bei Mu

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Liliaceae
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Bulb - fried or candied[7]. The bulb is up to 3cm in diameter[14]. Young plants and buds - cooked[7].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

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.

The bulbs are antidote, antitussive, astringent, expectorant, galactogogue and purgative[3][5][6][11]. They contain fritimine which diminishes excitability of respiratory centres, paralyses voluntary movement and counters effects of opium[15]. The bulbs are thought to act specifically on tumours and swellings of the throat, neck and chest, and they are taken in the treatment of thyroid gland nodules, scrofula, abscesses and boils and breast cancer[13]. The bulb is used internally in the treatment of coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, feverish illnesses, abscesses etc[12]. The bulbs also have a folk history of use against cancer of the breast and lungs in China[11][12]. This remedy should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, excessive doses can cause breathing difficulties and heart failure[12]. The bulbs are harvested in the winter whilst they are dormant and are dried for later use[12].

Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge

Environment

Range
E. Asia - E. China.
Habitat
Bamboo forests, shady and moist places from near sea level to 600 metres[4][14].
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

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in the spring[1]. Protect from frost[2]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible and can take a year or more to germinate[2]. Sow the seed quite thinly to avoid the need to prick out the seedlings. Once they have germinated, give them an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not suffer mineral deficiency. Once they die down at the end of their second growing season, divide up the small bulbs, planting 2 - 3 to an 8cm deep pot. Grow them on for at least another year in light shade in the greenhouse before planting them out whilst dormant. Division of offsets in August[1]. The larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out in the autumn. Bulb scales[4].

Cultivation

Best grown in a moist peaty soil in the open garden[16]. Easily grown in a moderately fertile soil in sun or semi-shade[9]. Succeeds in drier soils and is drought tolerant when established[8]. The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[10]. The scaly bulbs are best planted on their sides or surrounded in sand to prevent water collecting in their hollow crowns[12]. This species is cultivated as a medicinal plant in Europe and Asia[4]. Plants take 3 - 5 years to flower from seed.

References

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  4. RHS Lily Group. Lilies and Related Plants.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  8. Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512

    ↩

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

    ↩

  10. Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  12. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩

  14. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  16. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

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