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Common Name: Wild Rhea

General Information

Debregeasia longifolia is a Evergreen Shrub up to 5.00 metres tall.
It has edible, medicinal and miscellaneous uses.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China to the Himalayas.

Habitat

Mainly found on old cultivated land to 2100 metres in the Himalayas[]. Along the banks of streams at elevations of 500 - 2200 metres in Nepal[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a fertile well-drained loam with some shelter at the hottest part of the day[].
Plants tolerate occasional lows to about -5°c[]. This species is probably not very hardy in Britain and will probably require greenhouse protection, though it might be possible to grow it outdoors in the mildest areas of the country, especially if it is given the protection of a warm wall.
A very variable species[].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed and fruit is required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , ]. The fruit is up to 12mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

The juice of the leaves is applied to areas of the skin affected by scabies[].

Other Uses

A strong fibre is obtained from the stem bark[]. It is used for making twine and rope[, ].
Wood is used mainly for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter to mid-summer in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 2 months at 20°c[]. 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.
Softwood cuttings in early summer[].