Siegesbeckia orientalis pubescens
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Siegesbeckia orientalis pubescens is a ANNUAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). 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): 1.2
Where it is found
Waste ground all over Japan. Forest shade at elevations of 1700 - 2000 metres in Kashmir.
E. Asia - China, Japan and Korea.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Young leaves - cooked. The leaves need to be leeched in order to remove a toxin.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The whole plant is anodyne, cardiac, febrifuge, salve, stimulates blood circulation. The juice of the plant is used externally in the treatment of ringworm, other parasitic infections and as a protective cover for wounds. A paste of the plant is applied to wounds between the toes that have been caused by prolonged walking barefoot in muddy water. A decoction of the plant is also used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, pains and aches in the legs and sides, hemiplegia, hypertension, sciatica, weeping dermatitis and mastitis. A paste of the root is used in the treatment of indigestion. The juice of the root is applied to wounds.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Blood tonic: Is this any different to a blood purifier?
Cardiac: Used in the treatment of heart problems.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Not known
Propagating it: Seed -
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist