Herb latin name: Hydrangea anomala


Synonyms: Hydrangea altissima


Family: Hydrangeaceae



Medicinal use of Hydrangea anomala:

The leaves are used medicinally. No further information is given.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Climber

Height:
12 m
(39 feet)

Flowering:
June
to July

Habitat of the herb:

Shady ravines to 2100 metres in the Himalayas. Dense to sparse forests in valleys, along stream banks, or on rocky mountain slopes at elevations of 500 - 2900 metres.

Edible parts of Hydrangea anomala:

Leaves - cooked. A cucumber taste. The Japanese crush the leaves and use them fresh with miso. A boiled concoction of the leaves is used to make a syrup. The sweet sap is used as a drink.

Other uses of the herb:

The bark is a paper substitute. The sub-species H. anomala petiolaris can be used as a ground cover plant in a shady position. It is best spaced about 1.8 metres apart each way.

Propagation of Hydrangea anomala:

Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse in spring. Cover the pot with paper until the seed germinates. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 8cm long, July/August in a frame. Overwinter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of mature wood in late autumn in a frame. Mound layering in spring. Takes 12 months. Basal softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots. Leaf-bud cuttings of the current seasons growth in a frame.

Cultivation of the herb:

Shady ravines to 2100 metres in the Himalayas. Dense to sparse forests in valleys, along stream banks, or on rocky mountain slopes at elevations of 500 - 2900 metres.

Known hazards of Hydrangea anomala:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.