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:

General Information

Rubia chinensis is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.10 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - Japan, Manchuria, Mongolia.

Habitat

Deciduous forests at elevations of 500 - 1600 metres in mountains all over Japan[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.10 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[]. Tolerates dry soils but quickly becomes scorched in full sun[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[]. A famine food, it is used when all else fails[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate[]. 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[]. 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.