Herb latin name: Lysichiton camtschatcense


Synonyms: Lysichiton album, Lysichiton japonicum


Family: Araceae (Arum Family)



Edible parts of Lysichiton camtschatcense:

Young shoots - they must be thoroughly cooked otherwise they are poisonous.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
75 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
February
to April

Scent:
Scented
Perennial

Habitat of the herb:

Bogs and wet places, also by ponds and lakes.

Other uses of Lysichiton camtschatcense:

The plants have very large leaves and form a slowly spreading clump. They can be grown as a ground cover, spaced about 1 metre apart each way.

Propagation of the herb:

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in pots in a cold frame. Keep very moist, preferably by emmersing the pot in 2 -3 cm of water. Germination is usually good, taking place within 1 - 2 months at 15°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in trays of water 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. Division in the middle of autumn or mid to late winter, but no later than this because the plant will be coming into growth.

Cultivation of Lysichiton camtschatcense:

Bogs and wet places, also by ponds and lakes.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Lysichiton camtschatcense:

The plant is rich in calcium oxylate, this is toxic and if consumed makes the mouth and digestive tract feel as though hundreds of needles are being stuck into it. However, calcium oxylate is easily destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.