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Habitats
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Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Hedge;
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Fruit; Leaves.
Edible Uses: Tea.
Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 105, 146]. The fruit is a berry about 2cm in diameter[200, 206]. A mild sweet liquorice flavour[206]. Only the fully ripe fruits should be eaten[K]. Young shoots - cooked[2, 46, 85, 105]. Used mainly as a flavouring, they can also be lightly cooked for 3 - 4 minutes and used as a vegetable, the flavour is somewhat cress-like but has also been described as peppermint-like[206]. The leaves wilt rapidly once they have been harvested[206]. Some caution is advised, see notes at top of the page. The leaves are a tea substitute[183].
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antibacterial; Anticholesterolemic; Antipyretic; Cancer; Diuretic; Hypoglycaemic; Ophthalmic; Purgative; Skin; Tonic; Vasodilator.
A sweet tonic decoction made from the fruits is used to lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels[238]. It acts mainly on the liver and kidneys[61, 176, 238]. The fruit is taken internally in the treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes, poor eyesight, vertigo, lumbago, impotence and menopausal complaints[238]. The fruit is harvested when fully ripe and is dried for later use[238]. The root bark is a bitter, cooling, antibacterial herb that controls coughs and lowers fevers, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels[61, 176, 238]. It is taken internally in the treatment of chronic fevers, internal haemorrhages, nosebleeds, tuberculosis, coughs, asthma etc[238]. It is applied externally to treat genital itching[238]. The bark is harvested in the winter and dried for later use[238]. Diuretic, purgative, [61, 176]. The plant has a long history of medicinal use, both as a general, energy restoring tonic and also to cure a wide range of ailments from skin rashes and eyesight problems to diabetes[206]. A tonic tea is made from the leaves[206]. The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers[214].
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Other Uses
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Hedge; Hedge; Soil stabilization.
Can be grown as an informal hedge, succeeding in maritime exposure[59, 200]. Plants have an extensive root system and can be planted to stabilize sandy banks[200, 206].
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Cultivation details
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An easily grown plant, it does not require a rich soil, flowering and fruiting better in a well-drained soil of moderate quality[1, 200]. Succeeds in impoverished soils[200], but more fertile soils are best if the plant is being grown for its edible young shoots[206]. Requires a sunny position[200]. Some plants at Kew are growing well in light shade[K]. Tolerates maritime exposure[11, 49, 200]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[202]. There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[206]. Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can regrow from old wood[202]. Any trimming is best carried out in the spring[188]. Plants produce suckers freely and can become invasive when in a suitable position. Otherwise they can be difficult to establish[202]. There is much confusion over the naming of this species. Most, if not all, of the plants being grown as L. chinense or L. europaeum are in fact this species[11].
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Propagation
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Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Germination is usually good and fairly quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Pinch out the shoot tips of the young plants in order to encourage bushy growth[78]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel if possible, July/August in individual pots in a frame. Good percentage[78]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, autumn to late winter in a cold frame. High percentage[78, 200]. Division of suckers in late winter. Very easy, the suckers can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. Layering.
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Botanical References
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11200
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Links / References
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[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
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[17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.
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A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
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[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
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An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
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[49]Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
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Trees and shrubs that grow well in Cornwall and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.
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[59]Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall.
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Trees and shrubs that succeed in Cornwall based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.
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[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
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Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
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[78]Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
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A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
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[85]Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains.
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A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
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[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
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The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
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[146]Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers.
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Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
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[176]Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
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An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[188]Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers
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Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[202]Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs.
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Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
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[206]Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables
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Well written and very informative.
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[214]Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994.
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A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.
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[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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Subject : Lycium barbarum
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