Botanical Name: Veronicastrum sibiricum
Family: Plantaginaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales
Genus: Veronicastrum
Species: V. sibiricum
Common Names: Blackroot, Culver’s root, Siberian culver’s root, Siberian blackroot
Habitat: Veronicastrum sibiricum is native to E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea, Siberia.It grows on the grassy areas in mountains and lowlands. Trailsides, grassy slopes and thickets at elevatins below 2500 metres in northern China.
Description:
Veronicastrum sibiricum is an erect, herbaceous perennial plant with whorls of oblong to broadly lance-shaped, pointed, coarsely-toothed, dark green leaves and slender, dense. This species has multiple 5- to 7-foot-tall, tapering spikes of pinkish-lavender flowers from summer to fall. They look like elegant, living candelabras and add a vertical accent to the back of a mixed border or wild garden. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Cultivation:
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. Easily grown in a moderately fertile moisture retentive well drained soil. Prefers cool summers. Prefers a sunny position.
Propagation:
Seed – sow autumn in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient quantity the seed can be sown outdoors in situ in the autumn or the spring. Division in autumn or spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.
Medicinal Uses: The root is antimicrobial and hepatic. It is used in Korea in the treatment of the common cold and as a liver tonic.
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronicastrum_sibiricum
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Veronicastrum+sibiricum
https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/veronicastrum-sibiricum
