Rough potato (Metaplexis japonica)

At a glance

Exposure: Full sun

Cultivation

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil. This species is not very hardy in Britain, the plants succeed outdoors in south-west England but are apt to be cut to the ground by severe frosts. Cultivated as a vegetable in China.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in early spring 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. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors.

Edible uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked. Young fruits - raw or pickled. Root - cooked.

Medicinal uses

The seed and the leaves are haemostatic and tonic. The stems and roots are used as medicine for traumatic injury, snake bites, impotence, and infantile malnutrition due to intestinal parasites.

Material uses

The seed hairs could possibly be used as a stuffing material for pillows etc[1, K].

Habitat

Sunny slopes and thickets in hills and low mountains.

Native range

E. Asia - China, Japan.