Veratrum maackii parviflorum
Family: Melanthiaceae
What it is like
Veratrum maackii parviflorum is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). It is in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). 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
Where it is found
Mountain woods of C. and N. Japan. Mountain forests and alpine meadows at elevations of 400 - 1700 metres in northern China.
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
According to one report the whole plant is edible. This report should be viewed with extreme scepticism, the plant is likely to be very poisonous.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The root is emetic, expectorant and vermifuge. It is used in Korea in the treatment of mucosal irritation, nausea and vomiting. The whole plant is analgesic.
Analgesic: Relieves pain.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.
Other
Rating:
The dried and powdered root is used as an insecticide and a parasiticide. It is also effective against caterpillars and mammals so great caution is advised.
Insecticide: Kills insects.
How it is grown
Requires a deep fertile moisture retentive humus-rich soil. Succeeds in full sun if the soil does not dry out but prefers a position in semi-shade. Dislikes dry soils. Grows best in a cool woodland garden or a north facing border. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer. Plants are long-lived and can be left in the same position for years without attention.
Propagating it: Unless stored in damp sand at around 4°c the seed has a short viability. Where possible it is best to sow the seed in a lightly shaded position in the greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed needs to be stratified but can be very slow to germinate. Germination can be erratic even for seed sown when it was fresh, it usually takes place within 3 - 12 months at 15°c but can be much longer. The plant produces just one seedleaf in its first year, this forms an over-wintering bulb. It takes up to 10 years for the plant to reach maturity. Sow the seed thinly so there is no need to thin or transplant them, and grow the seedlings on undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Apply a liquid feed at intervals through the growing season to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. At the end of the second year plant out the dormant plants into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for a further year or two before planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division in March/April or in October. Establish the plants in pots in a shaded frame before planting them out. Division is best carried out in the autumn because the plants come into growth very early in the spring. Root cuttings, 6mm long with a bud, rooted in a sandy soil in a cold frame.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
All parts of the plant are highly poisonous.