Herb latin name: Bongardia chrysogonum


Synonyms: Bongardia rauwolfia, Leontice chrysogonum


Family: Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)



Medicinal use of Bongardia chrysogonum:

A treatment for epilepsy.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
May

Habitat of the herb:

Steppes, amongst field crops on clayey and solonetzic slopes.

Edible parts of Bongardia chrysogonum:

Tuber - baked or boiled. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked in the same manner as sorrel.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the greenhouse, putting about 3 -4 seeds in each pot. Use deep pots since the seedlings produce a contractile root that can pull themselves down to a depth of 15 - 30cm before sending up their first leaf. The seed germinates in autumn and the first leaf appears in the spring. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for at least 3 years before planting them out. Division is sometimes suggested as a means of increase, but is not possible for this species.

Cultivation of Bongardia chrysogonum:

Steppes, amongst field crops on clayey and solonetzic slopes.

Known hazards of Bongardia chrysogonum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.