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Common Name:

General Information

Meconopsis aculeata 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 and medicine

Known Hazards

The whole plant, but especially the root, is considered to be poisonous, it contains narcotic principles[, ].

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - W. Himalayas from Pakistan to Uttar Pradesh.

Habitat

Rocky slopes and damp rocks, 3000 - 4000 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a woodland soil in partial shade[, ]. The soil should be lime-free, moist, well-drained and moderately rich[]. Dislikes full sun and windy positions[].
Monocarpic, the plants living for a number of years before flowering but then dying once they flower[].

Edible Uses

The plant is said to be edible[] but no further details are known, not even which part of the plant can be eaten.

Medicinal

The root contains narcotic principles[, ].
The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have a bitter taste and a cooling potency[]. Analgesic and febrifuge, it is used to help heal broken bones, to treat inflammation from fractures and pain in the upper bodily region, especially around the ribs[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in late summer. Spring sown seed is slower to germinate[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.