Characteristics
A herb. It has rhizomes or underground stems. These are usually shortly branched. They are 1-2 cm thick. The stem is erect and can be lying over. It is 50-90 cm long. The leaves are in rings of 4-6. They do not have a leaf stalk. The leaf blade is sword shaped and 8-15 cm long by 4-16 mm wide. The tip is curved. The flowering stalk usually has 2-4 flowers. The flowers hang down. They are white or pale yellow. The fruit are black berries. They are 7-10 mm across. There are 4-7 seeds.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
herb
|
| Growth support |
free-standing
|
| Foliage retention |
evergreen
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
1.0
|
| Root system |
rhizome
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests and thickets on shaded slopes between 800-2800 m altitude in N China.
| Light |
|
| Soil humidity |
|
| Soil texture |
|
| Soil acidity |
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The rhizome contains starch and sugars and are used for pastry. The rhizomes are repeatedly steamed and dried then have sugar or honey added and are eaten as a candy.
Cultivation
| Mode |
-
|
| Germination duration (days) |
30 - 545
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
10
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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