Asian ponysfoot
Dichondra micrantha
Family: Convolvulaceae
What it is like
Dichondra micrantha is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 1 m (3ft 3in). It is in flower from March to May. 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) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.1
Where it is found
Around dwellings and roadsides in lowland warmer areas of Central and Southern Japan. Grasslands on mountain slopes and roadsides at elevations of 1300 - 2000 metres in China.
E. Asia - China, Japan and Korea.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 2
Diuretic, febrifuge and styptic. The whole plant is used for treating diarrhoea.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Styptic: An astringent that stops bleeding by contracting the blood vessels.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors at least in the mildest areas of the country. This species has at times mistakenly been called Dichondra repens, a plant that is confined to New Zealand and Australia.
Propagating it: Seed -
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist