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Hypericum bellum

Common name:		Family:	Hypericaceae
Author:	H.L.Li.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 266
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China to the Himalayas.
Habitat:	Scrub on open hillsides[184]. Forest glades[91]. Open forest, forest edges, thickets and grassy slopes at elevains of 1900 - 3200 metres in the western Himalayas[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	bellum = pretty;

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 1m by 1.5m . It is hardy to zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 1/5 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 and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Febrifuge; Miscellany; Vermifuge.

Febrifuge, vermifuge. Also used in the treatment of hepatitis, colds, dysentery and dermatitis[91].

Other Uses

Ground cover.

A good ground cover[11].

Cultivation details

Easily grown in any reasonably good well-drained but moisture retentive soil[11]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade but flowers better in a sunny position[200]. Tolerates chalk.
A very ornamental plant[11], it is hardy to about -10°c[184].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 10°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for 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 10 - 12 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Plant out in the following spring[200]
Careful division of old suckering shrubs in the dormant season.

Suppliers

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

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant 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

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[91] Zhang Jingwei. Alpine Plants of China. Gordon & Breach. New York. 1982 ISBN 0-677-60190-5
A lovely book with nice pictures. Gives habitats and some details of plant uses.

[184] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30258-2
Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1900 species and cultivars.

[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.

[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.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Hypericum+bellum
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.