Practical
Plants

Rubia akane

Asian Madder

a perennial woody member of the Rubia genus in the family Rubiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rubiaceae
Genus
Rubia
Life cycle
perennial
Woodiness
woody
Height
1 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - boiled[1][3]. Fruit[1]. No more details are given.

Plant part
Fruit
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.

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

The root contains a number of medically active constituents and is antitumour, emmenagogue and haemostatic[2]. It is used in Korea to treat dysmenorrhoea, leukorrhoea and carbuncles[5].

Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Antitumor
Product or use
Emmenagogue

Material uses

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

A red dye is obtained from the plant[2]. The part of the plant that is used is not specified, but it is likely to be the root.

Product or use
Dye

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Thickets and hedges in lowland and at low elevations in mountains, C. and S. Japan[6].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
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 a cold frame. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate[4]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for the first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring or at any time in the growing season if the divisions are kept well watered until established[4]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation

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

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[4]. Tolerates dry soils but quickly becomes scorched in full sun[4].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  2. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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