Common Name:

General Information

Flueggea suffruticosa is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 150cm tall
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. The leaves are sometimes sold in local food markets in Korea[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southeastern Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, China, Japan, Korea.

Habitat

Thickets and grassy slopes in C. and S. Japan[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any rich loamy soil in a sunny position[, ].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Young budlings, dried and steeped in water[]. (Does this refer to the leaf buds or the flower buds?)
Young leaves[].

Fruit[, ]. No further details are given.

Medicinal

This plant is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[]. It is used in the treatment of contusions and nervous paralysis[]. The plant contains securinine, this acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system - it is particularly useful in the treatment of facial paralysis and is also thought to be of value in the treatment of multiple sclerosis[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but would suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It should germinate freely in spring[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for 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, mid summer in sand in a frame[].