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Common Name: Mu-Lan

General Information

Magnolia liliiflora is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 3.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - C. China.

Habitat

Slopes and forests edges at elevations of 300 - 1600 metres in Fujian, Hubei, Sichuan and NW Yunnan Provinces[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Beetles
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Best grown in a warm position in a moderately rich free soil of an open texture[]. Prefers a neutral to acid soil but tolerates alkaline soils so long as they are deep and rich in humus[]. Plants cannot be grown on limy or chalky soils[]. The branches are brittle so a sheltered position is required[]. This species is said to be fairly wind tolerant[]. It is very tolerant of atmospheric pollution[].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[], but they require the protection of a wall when grown in northern Britain[].
The fleshy roots are easily damaged and any transplanting is best done during a spell of mild moist weather in late spring[].
The flowers, which start to be produced when the plant is less than a metre tall, are deliciously scented[]. The young wood is aromatic[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The flowers and unopened flower buds are analgesic, anodyne, carminative, febrifuge, sedative and tonic[, ]. The main effect of this herb is to constrict blood vessels in the nasal passages and so it is taken internally in the treatment of sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and colds with a runny nose or catarrh[]. In excess it can cause dizziness[]. This herb is incompatible with Astragalus membranaceus[]. The flowers are harvested in the spring and can be used fresh or dried[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed must be kept cold over the winter and should be sown in late winter in a cold frame[]. The seed usually germinates in the spring but it can take 18 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse for at least their first winter. They can be planted out into their permanent positions when they are more than 15cm tall, though should be well mulched and given some protection from winter cold for their first winter or two outdoors.
Layering in early spring[].