Coriaria sinica

At a glance

Lifecycle: Perennial (hardy)
Exposure: Full sun
Frost limit: −12.2 °C

Cultivation

Prefers a fairly good loamy soil in a sunny sheltered position This species is not very hardy in Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c though it can resprout from the base if cut back by the cold. The roots of plants in this genus bear nitrogen-fixing nodules. Whilst much of the nitrogen will be utilized by the growing plant, some of it will become available for other plants growing nearby[K].

Propagation

Seed - sow February/March in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fair percentage.

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or used as a beverage. The roots are antirheumatic. The plant is hallucinatory in small quantities.

Medicinal uses

The leaves are anodyne, antiphlogistic, febrifuge, depurative, poultice and vermifuge.

Habitat

Grassy hills and river valleys to 1500 metres. Occasionally found at higher elevations in stony and arid areas.

Native range

E. Asia - China.