Practical
Plants

Meehania urticifolia

a perennial member of the Meehania genus in the family Labiatae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Spread
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - cooked[1][2].

Plant part
Leaves

Material uses

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

An attractive ground cover plant for semi-shade[5].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
E. Asia - N.E. China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Rich damp deciduous woods in the mountains, S. and S. Japan[6][5].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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 spring in a cold frame[5]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division can be carried out at almost any time of the year so long as the plant is not allowed to dry out. Stem cuttings in the spring[4].

Cultivation

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

Requires partial shade[3]. A vigorous plant, forming large patches in dappled shade or in exposed but sunless areas[5]. Hardy to about -15°c[5]. The plant has long stolons, rooting at the nodes, and it spreads rapidly to form a large patch[3].

References

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

  3. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  4. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

    ↩

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