Herb: Chinese Lespedeza


Latin name: Lespedeza cuneata


Synonyms: Anthyllis cuneata, Hedysarum sericeum, Lespedeza sericea


Family: Leguminosae



Medicinal use of Chinese Lespedeza:

The whole plant is anthelmintic, depurative and tonic. A decoction is used in the treatment of testicular tuberculosis, hernia, enuresis, dental caries, toothache, infantile marasmus/ascariasis, snake and dog bites, skin ulcers, dysentery and enteritis

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
August to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Waste ground and grassy places all over lowland Japan. Moist shady places near water, 1700 - 2300 metres in Kashmir.

Edible parts of Chinese Lespedeza:

Young leaves - cooked after soaking.

Other uses of the herb:

The plant has an extensive root system and fixes atmospheric nitrogen through bacteria that live on its roots. It is used in soil conservation schemes for renewing worn-out soils.

Propagation of Chinese Lespedeza:

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in spring in a greenhouse. 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, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a frame. It can be difficult to get the cuttings through their first winter, it is best to plunge the pots in a bed of ashes in a sheltered border outdoors.

Cultivation of the herb:

Waste ground and grassy places all over lowland Japan. Moist shady places near water, 1700 - 2300 metres in Kashmir.

Known hazards of Lespedeza cuneata:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.