Practical
Plants

Inula britannica chinensis

Xuan Fu Hua

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Inula
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

Leaves - cooked[6]. An emergency food, it is only used when better foods are not available[4].

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.

Xuan Fu Hua is used in Chinese herbalism as a mildly warming expectorant remedy and it is especially suitable where phlegm has accumulated in the chest[10]. It has been used as an adulterant of arnica (Arnica montana)[12]. The flowers are more commonly used, but the leaves are also used, generally for less serious conditions[10]. The leaf is discutient and vulnerary[8]. The flowers are alterative, antibacterial, carminative, cholagogue, deobstruent, depurative, diuretic, expectorant, laxative, nervine, stomachic, tonic and vulnerary[2][3][5][8][11]. They are used internally in the treatment of bronchial complaints with profuse phlegm, nausea and vomiting, hiccups and flatulence[3][9]. The flowers have an antibacterial action, but this can be destroyed by proteins in the body[3]. The plant is harvested when in flower and can be dried for later use[10]. The root is discutient, resolvent and vulnerary[8]. The plant has been mentioned as a possible treatment for cancer of the oesophagus[8].

Product or use
Alterative
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Deobstruent
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Nervine
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Vulnerary

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China and Japan.
Habitat
Wet places in lowlands, especially by rivers, all over Japan[13].
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

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, it is worthwhile trying a sowing in situ in the spring or the autumn. Division in spring or autumn[1].

Cultivation

Succeeds in a sunny position in any moderately fertile well-drained soil[7]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[9]. This sub-species is the form that is most used medicinally, it is cultivated as a medicinal plant in China[5].

References

  1. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

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

    ↩1↩2

  6. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila 1998-00-00 ISBN 92 9061 120 0

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  12. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

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

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