Herb latin name: Smilacena japonica


Synonyms: Maianthemum japonicum


Family: Convallariaceae



Edible parts of Smilacena japonica:

Young leaves - cooked.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Woods and thickets in mountains all over Japan. Forests, moist and shaded places, cliffs at elevations of 900 - 2000 metres in China.

Propagation of Smilacena japonica:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can be very slow to germinate, often taking 18 months. Stored seed should be sown in a cold frame as soon as possible, it may take 2 years or longer to germinate. Grow the seedlings on in a shady part of a greenhouse for their first year without pricking them out, giving them liquid or foliar feeds as required to ensure that they do not become nutrient deficient. Divide the young plants up into individual pots in the autumn when they are dormant, and grow them on for at least another year in a shady part of the greenhouse. When the plants have reached a sufficient size, plant them out in the autumn whilst they are dormant. Division in spring or early autumn. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Woods and thickets in mountains all over Japan. Forests, moist and shaded places, cliffs at elevations of 900 - 2000 metres in China.

Medicinal use of Smilacena japonica:

None known

Known hazards of Smilacena japonica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.