Herb latin name: Eleutherococcus japonicus


Synonyms: Acanthopanax japonicus, Eleutherococcus spinosus japonicus


Family: Araliaceae (Ginseng Family)



Edible parts of Eleutherococcus japonicus:

Young leaves - cooked.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
May

Habitat of the herb:

Rather common in the hills and mountains of Honshu and Kyushu.

Propagation of Eleutherococcus japonicus:

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 the herb:

Rather common in the hills and mountains of Honshu and Kyushu.

Medicinal use of Eleutherococcus japonicus:

None known

Known hazards of Eleutherococcus japonicus:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.