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Common Name:

General Information

Lycopus maackianus is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.60 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan.

Habitat

Wet places all over Japan[]. Boggy shores, marsh margins, bogged down and inundated meadows, sometimes on sea shores, open scrub and occasionally on wasteland[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in most parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Tolerates most soil types so long as they are wet. Succeeds in damp meadows or in wet places by ponds or streams[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An extract of a culture of the callus cells is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an antioxidant [].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.
Division in spring or autumn[]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.