Phytolacca esculenta

Phytolacca esculenta is a hardy perennial reaching 1 m tall with hermaphroditic flowers blooming July to August and seeds ripening August to September. It adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH. The plant thrives in semi-shade or full sun with preference for moist soil and is hardy to UK zone 6.

Description

Phytolacca esculenta is a hardy perennial reaching 1 m tall with hermaphroditic flowers blooming July to August and seeds ripening August to September. It adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH. The plant thrives in semi-shade or full sun with preference for moist soil and is hardy to UK zone 6.

Edible Uses

Young leaves must be cooked before eating and are used as spinach — only young leaves should be used as they become toxic with age. The root is also eaten cooked.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are cooked and eaten. They are also roasted in oil or put into soups. The roots are also eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The roots contain saponins and are abortifacient, antiasthmatic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, antitussive, diuretic, expectorant, hypotensive and purgative. A decoction is used to treat oedema, beri-beri, lumbago, rheumatism, abdominal distension and numbness of the throat. Use with caution given the plant's toxicity.

Known Hazards

The leaves are poisonous. They are said to be alright to eat when young, the toxins developing as they grow older.

Distribution

A tropical plant.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, China, Guinea, Guinée, Indochina, Japan, Korea, SE Asia, Vietnam, West Africa,

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, succeeding in most soils, though preferring a moisture retentive soil in full sun or partial shade. We have found the plants to be very tolerant of drought. Plants can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. There is sme disagreement over the correct name for this species with some authorities saying that it is no more than a synonym for P. acinosa, whilst others give it specific status. There are reports that there is a white flowered plant, which could either be this species or a form of P. acinosa which is said to be non-toxic and to have an edible root. See P. acinosa for more details. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits.

Propagation

Sow seed in autumn or spring in a cold frame. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse for their first winter, then plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. With sufficient seed, an outdoor sowing in a seedbed in early spring is worthwhile; grow plants on for their first year and transplant the following spring. Divide in March or October using a sharp spade or knife, ensuring each section has at least one growth bud. Larger divisions can go straight into permanent positions; smaller ones are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established before planting out in late spring or early summer.

Other Uses

A red ink is obtained from the fruit.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Notes

There are 25 Phytolacca species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Jarigong, Jiangliusheng, Thuongluc rau

References (11)

• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 931
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 44
• Chen, B. & Qiu, Z., Consumer's Attitudes towards Edible Wild Plants, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. p 24 www.hindawi.com/journals/ijfr/aip/872413.pdf
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 168
• Kang, Y., et al, 2012, Wild food plants and wild edible fungi in two valleys on the Qinling Mountains (Shaanxi, central China) Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine; 9:26

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