Gynostemma pentaphyllum
The size of the plant and of its bag can vary a little from the photograph — each one grows at its own pace. We keep them as consistent as we can.
Overview
Jiaogulan is one of the great tonic herbs of traditional Chinese medicine: at a traditional medicine conference in Beijing in 1991 it was named among the ten most important. It's a delicate vine related to cucumber, with leaves divided into five leaflets and a surprisingly sweet taste. Its leaves make a tea drunk daily in parts of Asia. Easy to grow in a pot or a shady corner of the garden.
Culture
- Habit
- Annual/Perennial
- Height
- 8.00 m
- Self-fertile
- No
- Pollinators
- Insects
- Cultivation Status
- Cultivated, Wild
A plant of warm lowlands that wants rich, moist, well-drained soil in a sheltered spot with partial shade. It climbs with tendrils, so it needs a trellis or support. It usually behaves as an annual or short-lived perennial. There are male and female plants: to get seed, plant both.
Edible Uses
The leaves and young stems are eaten cooked, and the sweet leaves are brewed as a tea, fresh or dried.
Medicinal
It's considered a general tonic: it improves circulation, stimulates the liver, strengthens the immune and nervous systems, and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. It also relaxes spasms and lowers blood pressure. It's traditionally used for nervous tension and exhaustion. If you take medicine for diabetes or blood pressure, check with your doctor before using it often.
Traditional uses for information only. Not a substitute for advice from a health professional.
Agroforestry
A placenta species of the medium stratum: a short-cycle vine that uses fences, trellises and supports in partial shade, giving a medicinal harvest while the system grows. Its flowers draw pollinating insects.