code: 778
This beautiful and unusual hardy climber from Western China makes long
Family: Campanulaceae
Common name: “Climbing Bellflower”
Plant Classification: Hardy climber Hardy perennial
Maximum Height: 3.0 meters
Packet Content(approx.): 10
This beautiful and unusual hardy climber from Western China makes long, hairy, ascending stems from which dangle unusually large, delicate, yellowish-green bells, soft milky-blue inside, which are beautifully striped and spotted purple within. The root is highly valued in China where it is used to make a tonic.
Sowing advice:
Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never discard the pot or tray.
Habitats:
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Medicinal uses:
This species is an important herb in Chinese medicine, the root is widely used as a substitute for ginseng. It is a sweet, warm, soothing herb that is taken as an energy tonic. It acts mainly on the spleen, lungs, and stomach, raising secretion of body fluids and blood sugar levels, lowering the blood pressure, and stimulating the immune system. The root and the whole plant are adaptogen, aphrodisiac and tonic. It is taken internally in the treatment of low energy, poor appetite and digestion, anaemia, shallow breathing, and debility after illness. It is often cooked with rice until it is glutinous as a tonic food. The roots of plants at least three years old are harvested in the autumn and can be used fresh or dried.
