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Vitex cannabifolia

Common name:		Family:	Verbenaceae
Author:	Siebold.&Zucc.	Botanical references:	266
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - Western China.
Habitat:	Hilly slopes and roadsides[147]. Mixed thickets on mountain slopes and along roadsides at elevations of 100 - 1100 metres[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	V. cannibifolia[E] V. negundo var. cannabifolia[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Ch'U [E], Mu Ching [E], Ninzin-Boku [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	bifolia = 2 leaved;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Lamiales. Verbena family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China

Physical Characteristics

A decidious shrub growing to 3m. . It is in leaf from June to October, in flower from September to October, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The scented 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) and medium (loamy) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antirheumatic; Astringent; Diaphoretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Sedative.

The roots, leaves and fruits are antirheumatic, astringent, diaphoretic, diaphoretic, febrifuge and sedative[147]. A decoction is used in the treatment of dysentery, enteritis, malaria, heat stroke and arthralgia[147].

Other Uses

Charcoal; Fuel.

Used for fuel and charcoal[178].

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it is likely to succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country. It is seen as no more than a subspecies of Vitex negundo in some recent floras[266]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a light well-drained loamy soil in a warm sunny position sheltered from cold drying winds[49, 200]. Succeeds in dry soils. Intolerant of water-logging[202].
Flowers are produced at the ends of the current year's growth[202]. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring and should consist of cutting out dead wood and shortening last year's flowering branches[219].

Propagation

Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse. The seed does not need pre-treatment[113]. Germination is usually free and quick[113]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Good percentage[78].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, November in a cold frame[113].

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.

References for Vitex cannibifolia (a possible synonym).

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

References for Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Verbenaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

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

References

[49] Arnold-Forster. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
Trees and shrubs that grow well in &ndndndnd and other mild areas of Britain. Fairly good, a standard reference book.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[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.

[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.

[202] Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990 ISBN 0-670-82929-3
Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.

[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.

[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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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?Vitex+cannabifolia
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Vitex+cannabifolia

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