Common Name:

General Information

Callicarpa cathayana is a shrub with slender branches; it can grow 150 - 300cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for medicinal use

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang)

Habitat

Mixed forests on mountain slopes or in valleys; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Callicarpa cathayana grows in the warm temperate to subtropical zone of southern China, in hardiness zones ranging from 8 - 10. It should succeed outdoors in the milder regions of the temperate zone.
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade[, , 352[. The best flowering and fruiti set comes from plants grown in full sun. Stems can become leggy in too much shade[]. Prefers a highly fertile well-drained loamy soil[, ].
Requires cross-pollination for good fruit production[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].
The plant flowers and fruits on the current season's growth and so any pruning is best done whilst the plant is dormant[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are astringent, haemostatic. They are used in the treatment of internal bleeding[].
Applied externally the dried powdered leaf is applied to cuts and wounds[]. An infusion of the leaves is used as a wash, and the fresh, crushed leaves are applied to furuncles and carbuncles[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse[]. Only just cover the seed[]. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 18°c[]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood 10cm long, mid summer in a frame. High percentage[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth with a heel[] taken in early spring[].