Tricyrtis macropoda

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

A herb with a rhizome or underground stem. It keeps growing from year to year. The stem is 1 m high. The stems are erect. The leaves are oval and 8-16 cm long by 6-10 cm wide. They are pale green and clasp the stem. The leaves curl at the tip. There are several flowers at the ends of stems. The flowers are greenish-white with purple-red spots. The fruit is a capsule 2-3 cm across.

There are about 16 Tricyrtis species. Also put in the family Convallariaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests, rocky ledges and grassy slopes between 800-2400 m altitude in China. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China (country/location of origin), Japan, Korea, Tasmania

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

It can be grown by division.

Its other names

Local names

Huangguacai, You dian cao

Synonyms

Tricyrtis dilatata;