Gunnera tinctoria
Gunnera
a perennial member of the Gunnera genus in the family Gunneraceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Gunneraceae
- Genus
- Gunnera
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 2 m
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Young leaf stalks - peeled and cooked as a vegetable or eaten raw[5][2][3]. Acid and refreshing[1].
- Plant part
- Stem
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 whole plant is astringent[1].
- Product or use
- Astringent
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A black dye is obtained from the root[1]. The root contains 9% tannin[8][1]. Leaves are used as a roof covering[1].
- Product or use
- Dye
- Product or use
- Roofing
- Product or use
- Tannin
Environment
- Range
- S. America - Chile.
- Habitat
- Moist soils by lakes and rivers of the Central Provinces[1].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- 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 - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a sandy mix in a cold frame. The seed can also be sown in a shady position in a greenhouse in the spring. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 8 weeks at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse 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 as new growth commences in the spring. The clumps can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a damp humus rich soil in a sunny position or semi-shade, sheltered from strong winds. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn[7]. The rootstock is rather tender, surviving to -10°c and requiring some protection away from the milder parts of Britain. This can be achieved by piling either bracken or the plants dying leaves around the crown[4]. The top part of the inflorescence is male, the bottom is female and the middle is hermaphrodite. A very ornamental plant with huge leaves, it forms a slowly spreading dense clump[4]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[7].
References
? Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00