Botanical Name: Ephedra procera
Family: Nymphalidae
Kingdom: Animalia
Genus: Euphaedra
Species: E. procera
Synonyms : Euphaedra (Euphaedrana) procera
Common Names: Ma huang
Habitat :Ephedra procera is native to the southern part of the Central African Republic, the northern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Uganda. It grows in Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor, Armenia, Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Baluchistan), Himalaya, Greece. In Greece, in the southern mountains (Ali and Qaiser 1987, Vidakovic 1991).
Description:
Ephedra procera is a shrubs up to 2 m tall. Branches and branchlets slender, striate, smooth. Leaves up to 3 mm long, leathery. Male cones sessile, subglobose, 4-5 mm long; anthers 6-8. Female cones erect, solitary, petiolated, with 2-3 pairs of bracts, the inner connate below the middle. Tubillus c. 2.5 mm long, straight. Berry red or yellow, ovoid to subglobose, 5-7 mm long; seeds ovate to oblong, c. 5 mm long. Heartwood red-brown (Ali and Qaiser 1987, Vidakovic 1991).
Cultivation & propagation:
The best time of year for this is in the spring when it’s warm out, and there hasn’t been any rain recently because it needs to be planted right away after taking the cutting.
Step two: Fill a pot with the soil.
The pot should be at least eight inches in diameter and about five inches deep, but it can get as large as you want or need to accommodate your plant’s size when it grows up.
Step three: Place your cutting into the dirt to bury half of it and water well.
Step four: Place your plant in an area where it will get at least six hours of sunlight per day and keep watered regularly.
Keep a close eye on your new plant’s health to make sure it grows up healthy and strong.
The easiest way to propagate ephedra plants is by cuttings. You can also root leafy tip cuttings in a glass of water, but they need to be planted into the soil as soon as possible for them to develop roots and survive. A cutting should have at least one of three leaves from the top. Make sure that your cutting is at least two to three inches long.
Medicinal Uses:
Ephedra procera is used to treat bronchial asthma, hay fever and heart stimulant. Once a major supply of E. Procera to the world originated from Baluchistan Pakistan.
Withania coagulans: Fresh fruit is emetic, Dried fruit is sedative, diuretic and stomachic. Moreover, it contains anti-cancerous compounds that have already been identified and also the local people drink its fruits extract for Hepatitis C
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/Euphaedra_procera
https://www.conifers.org/ep/Ephedra_procera.php
https://shuncy.com/article/grow-ephedra-plant#how-to-grow-ephedra-plant
