Herb: Mu-Lan


Latin name: Magnolia liliiflora


Synonyms: Lassonia quinquepeta, Magnolia obovata, Magnolia purpurea, Magnolia quinquepeta


Family: Magnoliaceae (Magnolia Family)



Medicinal use of Mu-Lan:

The flowers and unopened flower buds are analgesic, anodyne, carminative, febrifuge, sedative and tonic. The main effect of this herb is to constrict blood vessels in the nasal passages and so it is taken internally in the treatment of sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and colds with a runny nose or catarrh. In excess it can cause dizziness. This herb is incompatible with Astragalus membranaceus. The flowers are harvested in the spring and can be used fresh or dried.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
April
to June

Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Slopes and forests edges at elevations of 300 - 1600 metres in Fujian, Hubei, Sichuan and NW Yunnan Provinces.

Propagation of Mu-Lan:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed must be kept cold over the winter and should be sown in late winter in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in the spring but it can take 18 months. 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 their first winter. They can be planted out into their permanent positions when they are more than 15cm tall, though should be well mulched and given some protection from winter cold for their first winter or two outdoors. Layering in early spring.

Cultivation of the herb:

Slopes and forests edges at elevations of 300 - 1600 metres in Fujian, Hubei, Sichuan and NW Yunnan Provinces.

Known hazards of Magnolia liliiflora:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.