Rubia akane
Nakai.
Rubiaceae
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: Asian Madder
General Information
Rubia akane is a Perennial Climber up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
58- Title
- Flora of Japan. (English translation)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ohwi. G.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1965
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Thickets and hedges in lowland and at low elevations in mountains, C. and S. Japan[
58- Title
- Flora of Japan. (English translation)
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ohwi. G.
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution
- Year
- 1965
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial Climber |
| Height | 1.00 m |
| 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 many parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade[
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.
]. Tolerates dry soils but quickly becomes scorched in full sun[
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
Young leaves - boiled[
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.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].
Fruit[
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.
]. No more details are given.
Medicinal
The root contains a number of medically active constituents and is antitumour, emmenagogue and haemostatic[
174- Title
- Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kariyone. T.
- Publisher
- Nihon Rinshosha; Osaka
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A good Japanese herbal.
]. It is used in Korea to treat dysmenorrhoea, leukorrhoea and carbuncles[
279- Title
- Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation, Manila
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 92 9061 120 0
- Description
- An excellent book with terse details about the medicinal uses of the plants with references to scientific trials. All plants are described, illustrated and brief details of habitats given.
].
Other Uses
A red dye is obtained from the plant[
174- Title
- Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kariyone. T.
- Publisher
- Nihon Rinshosha; Osaka
- Year
- 1973
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A good Japanese herbal.
]. The part of the plant that is used is not specified, but it is likely to be the root.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate[
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.
]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for the first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.
Division in spring or at any time in the growing season if the divisions are kept well watered until established[
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.
]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
