Veronicastrum stenostachyum is a variable species. Three subspecies have been recognized (Veronicastrum stenostachyum subsp stenostachyum; Veronicastrum stenostachyum subsp nanchuanense; and Veronicastrum stenostachyum subsp plukenetii) and upon closer examination, more may be erected[].

Common Name:

General Information

Veronicastrum stenostachyum is an evergreen perennial plant growing from a woody rootstock. It forms a cluster of erect, more or less woody stems up to 100cm tall, plus thinner, arching stems up to 2 metres tall that scramble into the surrounding vegetation and form roots at the apex if this touches the ground. The plant becomes deciduous in cold winters, the stems often dying back to the rootstock[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southeast China

Habitat

Scrub, forests, forest margins; at elevations below 1,300 metres[]. Scrambling in forest undergrowth at elevations up to 2,500 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.75 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Veronicastrum stenostachyum is native to the warm temperate and subtropical regions of southern China, growing mainly in hardiness zones 8 - 9.
Prefers a position in light woodland shade[]. Prefers a humus-rich, moist soil[]. Species in this genus are generally easily grown in a fairly sunny position in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used as a treatment for intestinal conditions, as a diuretic speeding up detoxification of the blood, as a purgative and especially in the treatment of ascites[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow autumn or spring in a cold frame[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood taken in early summer before flowering or from non-flowering side-shoots[].
The stems of this species arch, the apex touching the ground and rooting to form a new plant[].