Mi meng hua
Buddleja officinalis

Family: Scrophulariaceae

What it is like

An upright semi-evergreen shrub. It grows 1-4 m tall. There is a fine covering over the plant parts. The small branches are slightly 4 angled. The leaf stalk is 0.2-3 cm long. The leaf blade is oval and 4-19 cm long by 2-8 cm wide. There are 8-14 side veins on each side of the midrib. The flowering arrangement is at the end of the plant. It is 5-15 cm long by 2-10 cm wide. The flowers are pink or pale purple with an orange throat. The fruit is a capsule. It is 4-8 mm long by 2-3 mm wide. The seeds are oval and 1-1.2 mm long by 0.3-0.5 mm wide. They have wings all around.

It is a source of dye for food medicine and perfume. There are about 90-100 Buddleja species. They are in the tropics and subtropics. Also put in the family Buddlejaceae.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate to subtropical plant. It grows on the edge of forests and on riverbanks between 200-2800 m altitude in China. It will grow in most soils. It is resistant to drought and frost. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China (country/location of origin), Indochina, Myanmar, SE Asia, Tibet, Vietnam

How it is used for food

CAUTION: Many Loganiaceae are very poisonous. The flowers are collected and used for dying rice.

It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Flowers - colouring

How it is grown

It can be grown by hardwood cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

A yi huo si, Luo fan, Nan wan fan

Synonyms

Buddleja officinalis var. macrantha Lingelsheim;