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Common Name: Twinleaf

General Information

Jeffersonia diphylla is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.20 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Eastern N. America - New York and Ontario to Alabama and west to Wisconsin.

Habitat

Very rare in the wild, it is found in limestone soils and rich woods near rivers[, ].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a light sandy, peaty or humus-rich woodland soil and a rather shady situation[, , ]. Suitable for a choice position in a cool leafy soil[].
Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[].
A slow-growing plant[].
Plants have an extensive root system and resent disturbance[]. They should be pot-grown and planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole plant is antispasmodic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant and tonic[, , , ]. An infusion is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dropsy, gravel and urinary problems[].
The root is emetic in large doses and expectorant in smaller doses[]. The root contains berberine, which has been shown to have anti-tumour activity[].
A poultice of the plant is applied to sores, ulcers and inflamed parts[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[]. Sow stored seed as soon as possible in late winter or the spring. 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.
Division in early spring[].