Common Name:

General Information

Streptopus ovalis is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant producing a cluster of stems from a slender, creeping rhizome; it can grow 20 - 45cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. The young shoots are sometimes sold in local food markets in Korea[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - eastern China (southwest Liaoning), Korea

Habitat

Forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.40 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Streptopus ovalis
Requires a cool leafy soil in shade or partial shade[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the summer[]. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as soon as it is received. The seed, especially if it has been stored, can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 18 months or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a shady part of the greenhouse or cold frame. It will normally take 2 or more growing seasons before the roots are large enough to plant out - this is best done when the plant is dormant in the autumn.
Division as the plant comes into growth in early spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first year, planting them out in the following spring.