Herb: Wu Jia Pi


Latin name: Eleutherococcus gracylistylus


Synonyms: Acanthopanax gracylistylus


Family: Araliaceae (Ginseng Family)



Medicinal use of Wu Jia Pi:

The leafy shoots are tonic and are also believed to alleviate internal injuries by dispelling blood. The root bark is antibacterial, antirheumatic and diuretic. It is used in the treatment of arthritis, backache and a host of other ailments. A medicinal wine made from it is commonly on sale in China. A decoction of the stem bark or the roots is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, aches and pains in the back and legs, open sores on the scrotum, beriberi and traumatic injuries. The plant is aphrodisiac, nutritive and tonic.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
August

Habitat of the herb:

Wasted slopes or shrub thickets.

Edible parts of Wu Jia Pi:

Flowers. No more details are given.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. It can be slow to germinate. Stored seed requires 6 months warm followed by 3 months cold stratification and can be very slow to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse for at least the first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Cuttings of ripe wood of the current season's growth, 15 - 30cm long in a cold frame. Root cuttings in late winter. Division of suckers in the dormant season.

Cultivation of Wu Jia Pi:

Wasted slopes or shrub thickets.

Known hazards of Eleutherococcus gracylistylus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.