Practical
Plants

Smilacena purpurea

a perennial member of the Smilacena genus in the family Convallariaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

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

Tender young leaves and shoots - cooked as a vegetable[4][3].

Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas to S.W. China.
Habitat
Forests and thickets at elevations of 3200 - 4000 metres in western China[2]. Dense Betula and Sorbus forests at elevatios of 2600 - 4200 metres in Nepal[3].
Light
partial sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral
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. The seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking 18 months. Stored seed should be sown in a cold frame as soon as possible, it may take 2 years or longer to germinate. Grow the seedlings on in a shady part of a greenhouse for their first year without pricking them out, giving them liquid or foliar feeds as required to ensure that they do not become nutrient deficient. Divide the young plants up into individual pots in the autumn when they are dormant, and grow them on for at least another year in a shady part of the greenhouse. When the plants have reached a sufficient size, plant them out in the autumn whilst they are dormant. Division in spring or early autumn. 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.

Requires a deep fertile humus rich moisture retentive soil, neutral to slightly acid, that does not dry out in the growing season, and a shady position[1]. Does well in a woodland garden[1]. Hardy to about -20°c[1]. Plants were growing well at Kew in 1987 in the shade of a woodland garden and were carrying a good crop of fruit[K].

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

  3. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2

  4. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩

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