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Senecio scandens

Common name:		Family:	Compositae
Author:	Buch.-Ham.	Botanical references:	51, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	One report says that this species is slightly toxic[147], it belongs to a genus that contains a number of plants with a cumulative poisonous effect on the liver[65]. Some caution is advised.
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat:	Shady and damp places by roads[147]. Forests in the Himalayas, 1800 - 3600 metres from Uttar Pradesh to Bhutan[51].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Ch'Ien Li Chi [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	scandens = climbing;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Asterales. Renamed to Asteraceae -- Aster family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China; Philippines

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen climber growing to 5m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from September to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 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 cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Depurative; Febrifuge; Ophthalmic.

The whole plant is depurative, febrifuge and ophthalmic[147, 178]. Internally, a decoction is used in the treatment of epidemic influenza, malaria, boils and abscesses, acute conjunctivitis, dysentery and enteritis[147]. The plant can also be crushed and applied externally[147].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a sunny position in most well-drained moderately fertile soils[200].
Not very hardy in Britain, it succeeds outdoors in the milder areas of the country where it needs to be grown on a sunny sheltered wall[182]. Requires a warm, dry essentially frost-free climate[200]. Plants can be cut back to the ground in cold winters, though they usually resprout from the base[219].
A climbing plant, it needs support and to be tied onto wires[182]. Any pruning is best carried out in spring[219].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed. 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.
Division in spring[200].
Root cuttings in early spring[200].

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

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

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

References

[51] Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984
A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[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.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

Readers Comments

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Bibliography

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?Senecio+scandens
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Senecio+scandens

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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.