Practical
Plants

Rehmannia glutinosa

Chinese Foxglove

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.25 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Leaves[4][6]. No further details are given. Root - cooked[4]. Boiled nine times before it is eaten[6]. This suggests that the root is somewhat toxic, or at least has a very bitter flavour. Having boiled it nine times (and presumably throwing the water away each time), there is going to be very little left in the way of vitamins and minerals[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 plant, called Di Huang in China, is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is one of the most popular tonic herbs and is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[10][11]. The root is the main part used and it can be prepared in four different ways - charcoaled, prepared (but no details of the preparation are given) when it is called Shu Di Huang and fresh or dried when it is called Sheng Di Huang[3]. The roots are antibacterial, antiseptic, cardiac, diuretic, febrifuge, haemostatic, hypoglycaemic and tonic[15][3][5][10][11][14]. They are used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments, including anaemia, cancer, bleeding, constipation, coughs, fever and premature ejaculation[2][3][10][11]. The charcoaled root is used to stop bleeding and tonify the spleen and stomach[3]. The fresh root is used to treat thirst, the rash of infectious diseases and bleeding due to pathological heat[3]. The dried root is used to treat bleeding due to blood deficiency and to nourish the vital essence[3]. The prepared root is used to treat dizziness and palpitations due to anaemia or blood deficiency, chronic tidal fever, night sweats, dry mouth, lumbago and nocturnal emissions[3]. The roots of cultivated plants are harvested in the autumn or early winter, whilst wild plants are harvested in early spring[11]. They can be used fresh or dried[11]. The root is an ingredient of 'Four Things Soup', the most widely used woman's tonic in China[12]. The other species used are Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum wallichii and Paeonia lactiflora[12]. The leaves are bruised and used in the treatment of scaly eczema or psoriasis[10].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Cardiac
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Hypoglycaemic
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Tonic

Environment

Range
E. Asia - N. China, Korea.
Habitat
Well-drained stony ground along roadsides and in woods[1]. Mountain slopes and trailsides from near sea level to 1100 metres[13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow autumn or spring in a greenhouse[8]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Root cuttings in winter[9]. Division in spring[11]. Basal cuttings in late spring or early summer[9]. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation

Requires a light freely-draining humus-rich loam in light shade[9]. Prefers a neutral to acid sandy soil[11]. Requires a warm sunny position[8][11]. This species is probably hardy to about -25°c if the plants are dry, but the softly hairy leaves are susceptible to rot in warm damp winters and so the plants are often grown in the greenhouse[7]. The plants are prone to fungal infections, especially when grown in damp conditions[11]. The Chinese foxglove is cultivated as a medicinal plant in China[11].

References

  1. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

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  2. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

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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↩5↩6↩7

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  10. 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

  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↩7↩8↩9↩10

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

    ↩1↩2

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

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

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

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