Common Name:

General Information

Sinocrassula indica is a succulent, biennial plant growing from a fibrous rootstock; it produce a rosette of leaves in its first year and then an erect flowering stem 5 - 60cm tall in its second year of growth[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is an ingredient in several proprietary medicines in China, Japan and the USA[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - central and southern China, Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bhutan

Habitat

Rocks in valleys or on slopes, dry stony and gravelly slopes, river banks. At elevations from 500 - 4,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Biennial
Height	0.25 m
Pollinators	Insecs
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Sinocrassula indica is not a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate shrt periods with temperatures down to around -5 to -10°c when fully dormant[].
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[]. Established plans are very drought tolerant[],

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten as part of the diet[]

Medicinal

The plan has been used as a folk medicine for the treatment of hepatitis and otitis medium in China[]. It has been shown to be an effective treatment for hyperglycaemia, promoting glucose metabolism and thus lowering blood sugar levels probably by improving the effectiveness of naturally produced insulin in the body[].
When consumed regularly, the plant is also believed to have a positive effect upon the whole body and to increase longevity[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -