Calystegia pellita
Family: Convolvulaceae
What it is like
Calystegia pellita is a PERENNIAL CLIMBER growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Grassy places and mountain slopes, sometimes a weed of cultivation, at elevations of 300 - 1700 metres.
E. Asia - Korea, Manchuria.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Root - cooked. Young shoots - cooked.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Easily grown in ordinary garden soil in a sunny position, but plants are apt to become invasive. Nearly all taxa in Calystegia intergrade geographically into neighboring taxa with the exception of the widespread coastal species, C. soldanella (Linnaeus) R. Brown. It is impossible to draw clearly defined specific limits, and intermediate forms are always found where two taxa approximate geographically.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame in a free draining compost and only just cover. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in early spring whilst dormant.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade;
Habit: Perennial Climber
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, at least some, if not all members of this genus are purgative, some caution is advised.