#dichroa

[morphons]

Dichroa febrifuga. Trebah Garden, Cornwall.  November 2019.

[iplantsman]

Today’s #oneadayplant is this choice Hydrangea relative Dichroa febrifuga . . This very handsome shrub from Asia doesn’t get anywhere near as much attention as it should. Late flowering with these attractive clusters of lilac flowers set against good foliage colour late in summer and through to autumn. . Often said to be very tender, tolerating a low temperature of 1•C, I have found it to be much hardier than this growing it outside on a few occasions and seeing it take significant frosts, though losing foliage. In properly sheltered spots it will be evergreen to semi-evergreen and although better in a conservatory or greenhouse, I think it is worth trying outside in warm and secluded spots. . It has the capacity to get to about 1.5m (5’) tall and wide, but is normally smaller. I suspect it could make an interesting specimen fanned against a wall. Might have to try that sometime. . Apparently used a lot in Chinese medicine, though this is not a subject I know anything about as it stands. . #dichroa #dichroafebrifuga #hydrangea #plant #evergreen #shrub #spring #summer #autumn #interest #halfhardy #tender #plants #iplantsman #garden #plantingdesign #gardening #gardendesign #gardenista #plantista #gardeningguru #gardeningtips #gardeningadvice #autumncolour #fallcolor #lilac #flowers #fleurs #flores (at Crowborough, East Sussex) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGo6BoXgKFQ/?igshid=1xjkwmm8tl5pu

[thegardenasart]

11/16

An Australian Dichroa in fruit in the garden.

[medicinal-plants-herbs]

Dichroa Root Uses and Benefits

Dichroa is an bitter herb that is widely used in Chinese herbal medicine, especially for high fever.

One of the plant’s substances febrifugine has been found effective against protozoa, especially parasitic protozoa in the Genus Plasmodium that causes malignant and benign third-world malaria fever.

For more information on this plant visit: http://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/dichroa-root-uses-benefits.html

[botanicsstories]

Look out for berries

Dichroa febrifuga is of borderline hardiness in Edinburgh. It requires a warm sheltered spot and protection through the worst of the winter to make a modest shrub ultimately reaching two metres. Observing it now the plant has a prolific amount of flower, each inflorescence held as a corymbose panicle; the petals of individual flowers reflex as they age. Flower colour varies from pink on an alkaline soil to blue when growing in acidic conditions.

Under a hand lens the anthers can be seen to release their pollen through side slits opening along their length. This very effectively drops down onto the stigma sitting beneath. Blue berries should follow.

Our plant has flowers a delicate pink colour and you do wonder if washes with aluminium sulphate will turn the following season’s flowers blue. This is a traditional method of altering the colour of mop head Hydrangea flowers; Dichroa is a member of the family Hydrangeaceae and should respond to the availability of Aluminium which is locked in and unavailable to plants in an alkaline soil.

The evergreen foliage has a serrated edge and the smell of fresh cucumber when crushed.

Dichroa febrifuga

Dichroa febrifuga

Look out for berries was originally published on Botanics Stories