Practical
Plants

Leonurus sibiricus

Chinese Motherwort

an annual or biennial member of the Leonurus genus in the family Labiatae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Life cycle
annual, biennial
Height
1 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

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.

See the notes under medicinal uses.

Edible uses

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

Young shoots - cooked[1][5][8]. A sweetish flavour[7]. Root - cooked with other foods[5][8]. This probably means that it is used as a flavouring[K].

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.

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

Chinese motherwort is unusual amongst Chinese herbs in that it is often prescribed for use on its own and not in a mixture with other plants[11]. The whole plant is antibacterial, antispasmodic, astringent, cardiac, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypnotic, nervine, oxytocic, stomachic, tonic, uterine stimulant[15][18][10][16][3][4][6][9][14]. The seeds have a similar action to the plant, but are a less effective diuretic and depurative[11]. The plant is used in the treatment of painful and excessive menstruation, post-partum bleeding, oedema, kidney complaints, kidney stones, eczema and abscesses[11][12]. A tincture is used in the treatment of rheumatic fever[9]. The plant stimulates uterine contractions and should not therefore be used when in the earlier stages of pregnancy[12]. The plant is harvested when in flower but before the seeds have set, and is dried for later use[11]. The plant contains about 0.05% of an alkaloid called leonurine[12]. This has a curare-like effect on the motor-endings of the nervous system, acting in small doses as a stimulant to the respiratory system but in large doses causing respiratory paralysis[12].

Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Cardiac
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Hypnotic
Product or use
Nervine
Product or use
Oxytoxic
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

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

Yields an essential oil[16]. No more details are given.

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Siberia.
Habitat
Stony and steppe slopes, pine forests and occasionally as a weed of cultivated land[17]. By the sea shore and along the margins of marshes and pools[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
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 - sow late spring 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.

Cultivation

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

Prefers a well-drained moist soil in sun or partial shade[11]. Prefers a poor soil[2]. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[11]. There is some confusion over the correct name for this species, it should quite probably be called L. japonicus.

References

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

    ↩

  2. International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00

    ↩

  3. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  4. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  9. Emboden. W. Narcotic Plants Studio Vista 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-289-70864-8

    ↩1↩2

  10. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  12. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  16. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  17. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

  18. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩

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