Fagopyrum dibotrys
(D.Don.)Hara.
Polygonaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Perennial Buckwheat
General Information
Fagopyrum dibotrys is a perennial plant that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
51- Title
- Flowers of the Himalayas.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O. and Stainton. A.
- Publisher
- Oxford Universtiy Press
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
Habitat
Forests and cultivated areas from Pakistan to S.W. China, 1500 - 3400 metres[
51- Title
- Flowers of the Himalayas.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O. and Stainton. A.
- Publisher
- Oxford Universtiy Press
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.
]. Found alongside ditches on shady damp and fertile soils in China[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating |     |
Medicinal Rating |   |
Habit | Perennial |
Height | 1.00 m |
Growth Rate | Fast |
Pollinators | Bees, Flies |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A very tolerant and easily grown plant, it prefers dry sandy soils but succeeds in most conditions including poor, heavy or acid soils and even sub-soils. Prefers a good soil in partial shade[
187- Title
- Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-330-30936-9
- Description
- Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
], growing very well in woodland conditions[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The dormant plant is hardy to about -20°c[
187- Title
- Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-330-30936-9
- Description
- Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
], though the growing plant is frost tender[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. It is often excited into growth quite early in the year if the weather is mild, and will then be cut back by the first frost. It usually regrows quickly from the base[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Perennial buckwheat is occasionally cultivated for its edible seed, though this is not produced as abundantly as in the annual members of this genus[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. Our plants flower in late summer and early autumn, and have not as yet produced any seed. Since all our plants come originally from one seedling, it is quite possible that the plant is self-sterile[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value. 'Variegata' has variegated leaves[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - raw or cooked[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
160- Title
- Wonder Crops. 1987.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Natural Food Institute,
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Fascinating reading, this is an annual publication. Some reports do seem somewhat exaggerated though.
,
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]. Boiled or steamed and used like spinach[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. Of excellent quality according to one report[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
], but we have been less than impressed by the flavour, which has a distinct bitterness especially when eaten raw[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. The leaves are rich in rutin (see below for details of its uses) and so they do make a healthy addition to the diet[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Seed - it can be sprouted and eaten raw, or cooked and used as a cereal[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
]. Dried and ground into a powder, it can serve as a thickening agent in soups etc. The seed is rich in vitamin B6. Unfortunately, it is not freely produced in Britain[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
].
Medicinal
The whole plant is anodyne, anthelmintic, antiphlogistic, carminative, depurative and febrifuge. It stimulates blood circulation[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
]. A decoction is used in the treatment of traumatic injuries, lumbago, menstrual irregularities, purulent infections, snake and insect bites[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
].
A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of insect bites, dysmenorrhoea, inflammation, lumbago, snakebite and traumatic injuries[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].
The leaves are rich in rutin which is a capillary tonic, antioedemic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and hypotensive[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
]. Rutin also inhibits carcinogenesis and protects against radiation[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Division is very easy at almost any time in the growing season, though it is best avoided in early spring because the young growth can be damaged by late frosts. The divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.
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