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Asparagus racemosus

Common name:	Shatavari	Family:	Asparagaceae
Author:	Willd.	Botanical references:	200, 266
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan, India.
Habitat:	Found at elevations up to 1,200 metres in the Himalayas, eastwards from Kashmir[240]. Broad-leaved forests along streams or valleys at elevations of 2100 - 2200 metres in western China[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	5

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	A. recemosus[E] A. rigidulus[G] A. schoberioides[G] Protasparagus racemosus[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Catavari [E], Satavari [E], Shaqaqule Hindi [E], Songga Langit [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	racemosus = with racemes;
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Arabic; India; India(Santal); Iran; Java; Sudan

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 7m. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in flower from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 5/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Root; Stem.

Tender young shoots - cooked as a vegetable[272]. A preserve prepared from the blanched shoots is said to be very agreeable[2].
The tuber are candied as a sweetmeat[2]. The only flavour is said to be that of the sugar[2]. The roots are 5 - 13cm long[243].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Alterative; Antispasmodic; Aphrodisiac; Demulcent; Digestive; Diuretic; Galactogogue; Infertility; Women's complaints.

Shatavari (this is an Indian word meaning 'a woman who has a hundred husbands') is the most important herb in Ayurvedic medicine for dealing with problems connected women's fertility[238]. The rhizome is a soothing tonic that acts mainly on the circulatory, digestive, respiratory and female reproductive organs[238].
The root is alterative, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, demulcent, diuretic, galactogogue and refrigerant[240, 243]. It is taken internally in the treatment of infertility, loss of libido, threatened miscarriage, menopausal problems, hyperacidity, stomach ulcers and bronchial infections[238]. Externally it is used to treat stiffness in the joints[238]. The root is used fresh in the treatment of dysentery. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for use in treating other complaints[238].
The whole plant is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, rheumatism, diabetes and brain complaints[243].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

Soap.

The squeezed root is used for washing clothes[272].

Cultivation details

Easily grown in any good garden soil[200]. Prefers a rich sandy loam[1].
This species is not very frost-hardy and generally needs to be grown in a frost-free or fairly frost-free climate[200, 238]. It can be grown as a half-hardy perennial in areas where the winter is too cold for it to survive outdoors. The tubers are harvested in the autumn, stored in a cool frost-free place and replanted in the spring[238].
The rots of this species are commonly collected from the wild for medicinal use. Overcollection in some areas of its range are causing conservation concerns[272].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring or as soon as the seed is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 25°c[134]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer[K].
Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Asparagus recemosus (a possible synonym).

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[243] Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993
Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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