Herb: Nepalese Crane's Bill


Latin name: Geranium nepalense


Family: Geraniaceae (Geranium Family)



Medicinal use of Nepalese Crane's Bill:

The whole plant is antibacterial and astringent. It is prescribed in the treatment of nervous diseases, numbness of the limbs, pains, rheumatism, renal diseases etc. The juice of the plant is valued in treating renal diseases.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Semi-shaded scrubby slopes and in forests, 1500 - 2300 metres in the Himalayas.

Edible parts of Nepalese Crane's Bill:

Leaves. No further details are given. Fruits - chewed fresh. The fruit is a small dry capsule.

Other uses of the herb:

A red dye is obtained from the root, it is similar to Rubia cordifolia. The root contains 25 - 32% tannins.

Propagation of Nepalese Crane's Bill:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation of the herb:

Semi-shaded scrubby slopes and in forests, 1500 - 2300 metres in the Himalayas.

Known hazards of Geranium nepalense:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.