Chondrilla, Sha di fen bao ju
Chondrilla ambigua

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

Chondrilla ambigua is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 0.5

Where it is found

Sand dunes, gravel and loess areas; 300-800 m. Xinjiang - Kazakhstan, Russia (Southern European), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

Northern Middle Asia.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia-Temperate: Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan); Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan); Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan); Xinjiang (Xinjiang) Europe: South European Russia (South European Russia)

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

Possibly a hydrocarbon latex crop. The species was experimentally cultivated in the USSR during the years 1929–1937 as a source of rubber. Carbon Farming Solutions - Industrial Crop: hydrocarbon (Crops grown for non-food uses. Industrial crops provide resources in three main categories: materials, chemicals, and energy. Traditional materials include lumber and thatch, paper and cardboard, and textiles).

Experimental Crop: Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Hay: Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Experimental Crop: Plant breeders are testing these plants to see if they could be domesticated for cultivation, but they are still in an experimental phase. Examples include milkweed and leafy spurge.

Industrial Crop: Hydrocarbon: Materials, chemicals and energy include bioplastics, rubber, biomass products gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, butane, propane, biogas. Plants are usually resprouting plants and saps.

Management: Hay: Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Climate: cold to warm temperate. Humidity: semi-arid to humid. A woody, broomlike perennial herb usually growing to 0.5m but can reach 1m high. It has a taproot which can be very deep and highly branched. Usually found in Sand dunes, gravel and loess (a type of silt which forms fertile topsoil - The soil has few clay particles to hold it together) areas; Grows at 300-800m in the wild. Needs a well drained dry to moist soil. This genus is closely related to the dandelions of genus Taraxacum. Plants of both genera undergo apomixis, producing fertile seeds via asexual reproduction. Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: experimental. Management: hay (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation).

Propagating it: Seed

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 4-9

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Chondrilla, Sha di fen bao ju, Chondrilla ambigua

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.