Swertia bimaculata
an annual or biennial member of the Swertia genus in the family Gentianaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Gentianaceae
- Genus
- Swertia
- Life cycle
- annual, biennial
- Height
- 0.6 m
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
- Plant part
- Root
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
- Habitat
- Wet grassy places in lowland and mountains all over Japan[6]. Beside streams, swamp, meadows, scrub and forests at elevations of 200 - 3000 metres in China.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- 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 at 10°c or less[4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
We have no details for this species but suggest growing it in a moist well-drained soil in a sunny position.
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00