Herb latin name: Parthenocissus himalayana


Synonyms: Ampelopsis himalayana


Family: Vitaceae (Grape Family)



Edible parts of Parthenocissus himalayana:

Fruit - raw or cooked. A juicy texture with a sweet to acidic flavour. The average yield per plant is about 750g per year. (This seems exceedingly low.) The fruit contains about 8.6% sugars, 2.9% protein, 1.4% ash. Vitamin C content is 12.2mg per 100ml of juice. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter and is carried in small bunches like grapes.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Climber

Height:
18 m
(59 feet)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Climbing over rocks, 1200 - 3300 metres in W. China. Moist open places at elevations of 2100 - 3200 metres in Nepal.

Other uses of Parthenocissus himalayana:

Plants can be allowed to sprawl on the ground, making a good ground cover when spaced about 3 metres apart each way. They are very vigorous, however, and would soon swamp smaller plants.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires stratifying for 6 weeks at 5°C and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Germination is variable. 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 taken at a node (ensure that it has at least 2 true buds), July/August in a frame. Easy to root but they do not always survive the first winter. Basal hardwood cuttings of current seasons growth, 10 - 12 cm long, autumn in a frame. Layering.

Cultivation of Parthenocissus himalayana:

Climbing over rocks, 1200 - 3300 metres in W. China. Moist open places at elevations of 2100 - 3200 metres in Nepal.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Parthenocissus himalayana:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.