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Summary
Physical Characteristics
Eclipta prostrata is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in flower in August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist or wet soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
E. alba. (L.)Hassk.
Plant Habitats
Bog Garden; Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Shoots
Edible Uses:
Tender leaves and young shoots - cooked and used as a vegetable[105, 177, 179, 254, 272].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
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.
Antidote Antiseptic Astringent Depurative Eczema Emetic Febrifuge Odontalgic
Ophthalmic Purgative Skin Stings Styptic Tonic
This species is widely used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and in Ayurveda[238]. It is considered to be the best remedy for the hair and is also used as a rejuvenative and liver tonic[238, 254]. The whole plant contains the alkaloids nicotine and ecliptine as well as coumarin[283]. It is astringent, deobstruent, depurative, emetic, febrifuge, ophthalmic, purgative, styptic and tonic[147, 176, 178]. It is used internally in the treatment of dropsy and liver complaints[152], anaemia, diphtheria etc[238], tinnitus, tooth loss and premature greying of the hair[176]. Externally, it is used as an oil to treat hair loss and is also applied to athlete's foot, eczema, dermatitis, wounds etc[238, 254]. The plant juice, mixed with an aromatic (essential oil?), is used in the treatment of catarrhal problems and jaundice[243]. The leaves are used in the treatment of scorpion stings[243]. They are used as an antidote for snake bites in Korea[279]. The plant is harvested as it comes into flower and is dried for later use[238]. The roots are emetic and purgative[240]. They are applied externally as an antiseptic to ulcers and wounds, especially in cattle[240].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Dye Essential Hair
A black dye is obtained from the plant[238]. It is used as a hair dye and for tattooing[238].
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Requires a damp to wet soil and a position in some shade[238]. This is a tropical species and it might need more summer heat and a longer growing season than is normally available in British summers[K].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).
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Plant Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some extra protection, such as a cloche, until they are established and growing away well.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Aali jhar, Bhagra, Bhangrii, Bhringraj, Ekaraja, Goman, Grobidia, Huangjiu, Ink plant, Kaiyunni, Kameng, Karisalankanni, Keharaj, Kesut, Kpawu, Nhanvua, Ntum, Tandala, Urang-aring, White twin-heads, agrião, agrião-do-brejo, antacha, antali, bhangara, bhangarail, bhangaraiya, bhangariya, bhangaro, bhangeri, bhangra, bhangro, bheemraja, bhiringe, bhiriyo, bhri-ga, bhringaraj, bhringaraja, bhringiraj, bhringiraja, bhrngaraja, bh??ga, bh??gaja, bh??garaja (whole plant), chari jbar, daisy, false, dye-weed, dyer's weed, eclipta, eclipta prostrata whole plant, eclipta white, ecliptae herba, erva-de-botão, false daisy, garajalu, garujalu, gharauriya, guntagalagara, guntakalagara, gurugada, gurugada soppu, hanryeoncho, herba ecliptae, hierba de tajo, kal jira, karisalai, karisalamkanni, karisalanganni, kayyonni, kesari, keshavardhana, kesuriya, kesaraja, knnunni, kodigaraju, li chang, lug-chhung, maka, mo han lian, mohanlian, mòhànlián, markava, naparo cimarron, nash jhar, nhangra, perpétua-do-mato, soppu, suweid, takasaburoo, tekaraja, vitknapp, white eclipta, white twinheads, yerba de tajo, yerbadetajo herb, éclipte blanche.
Native Range
NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Ontario), United States (Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California), Mexico (Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Hispaniola, Netherlands Antilles, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, United States (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.), St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British), Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Never been reported as a serious weed but it is troublesome in several crops. a weed of bananas in Taiwan and the USA (Hawaii); of barley in Bangladesh; cotton in India, Thailand and the USA (Arkansas); flax in Taiwan; groundnut in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, USA (Oklahoma, Virginia) and Vietnam; lawns in the USA (Hawaii); maize in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam; onion in the Philippines; pastures in Western Samoa; pawpaws in the USA (Hawaii); sisal in Angola; sorghum in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam; soyabeans in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam; sugarcane in Angola, India, Indonesia, Peru, Taiwan, Trinidad and the USA (Hawaii); tobacco in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; tomatoes in the USA (Florida); and vegetables in Indonesia, Philippines and the USA [1d].
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Status: Data Deficient
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
L.
Botanical References
5058
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
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