Practical
Plants

Scutellaria baicalensis

Baikal Skullcap

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

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Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

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

Young leaves - cooked as a vegetable[2][6][7]. The whole plant is dried and used as a tea substitute[2][7].

Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

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.

Baikal skullcap is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs and is used primarily in treating \"hot and damp\" conditions such as dysentery and diarrhoea[9][11]. It has been used medicinally for over 2,000 years and recent research has found that the roots contain flavonoids that greatly enhance liver function and also have anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic effects[10]. The root is anodyne, antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, antipyretic, antispasmodic, astringent, cholagogue, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, haemostatic, laxative, nervine, mildly sedative, stomachic and tonic (for TB)[13][14][3][4][5][9][10]. It reputedly calms the foetus in pregnant women[10]. The root is used internally in the treatment of enteritis, dysentery, diarrhoea, jaundice, chronic hepatitis, urinary tract infections, hypertension, threatened miscarriage, nosebleed and haemorrhage from the lungs or bowel[10]. It is one of the ingredients of the Chinese drug 'injection of three yellow herbs'[10]. The root is harvested in the autumn or spring from plants 3 - 4 years old and is dried for later use[10]. The seed is used to cleanse the bowels of blood and pus[9].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Anticholesterolemic
Product or use
Antipyretic
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Nervine
Product or use
Sedative
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
TB
Product or use
Tonic

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia.
Habitat
Sandy and rocky places near the sea shore. Sunny, grassy slopes and waste ground from 100 - 2,000 metres above sea level[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow outdoors in situ in late spring[8] If there is only a small quantity of seed it is better to sow it in a pot in a cold frame in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring just before new growth begins. Very easy, 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.

Succeeds in a sunny position in any ordinary garden soil that does not dry out during the growing season[8]. Prefers a light well-drained soil in sun or partial shade[10]. This species requires sharp drainage and, once established, is drought tolerant[10]. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[10]. A very ornamental plant[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  4. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  9. 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

  10. 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

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

    ↩1↩2

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

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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