Herb: Sennin-So


Latin name: Clematis terniflora


Synonyms: Clematis maximowicziana, Clematis paniculata


Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)



Medicinal use of Sennin-So:

Antidote, antiscrofulatic, ophthalmic. Used in the treatment of corneal opacities.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial Climber


Height:
5 m
(16 feet)

Flowering:
September
to October

Habitat of the herb:

Hedgerows in Kiangsi around 100 metres. Forest margins, scrub on slopes, grassy areas on hills, among rocks in coastal areas, near sea level to 800 metres.

Edible parts of Sennin-So:

Young shoots - cooked. Parboiled, then eaten boiled or oil-roasted. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. The young buds (Does this refer to flower or leaf buds?) are parboiled then eaten boiled or oil-roasted, or they can be pickled in vinegar. Flowers. No more details are given.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Sow stored seed as soon as it is obtained in a cold frame. Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and remove as much of the tail and outer coat as possible. A period of cold stratification is beneficial. The seed germinates in 1 - 9 months or more at 20°C. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Internodal cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, late spring in sandy soil in a frame. Layering of old stems in late winter or early spring. Layering of current seasons growth in early summer.

Cultivation of Sennin-So:

Hedgerows in Kiangsi around 100 metres. Forest margins, scrub on slopes, grassy areas on hills, among rocks in coastal areas, near sea level to 800 metres.

Known hazards of Clematis terniflora:

Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, some if not all members of this genus are mildly poisonous. The toxic principle is dissipated by heat or by drying.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.