Seed – Houttuynia cordata

Description

Planting/Growing Houttuynia Discussion:

This is an herb suggested by Dr. Stephen Buhner, as it is mentioned in many of his books. It is a highly sought medicinal plant. Houttuynia cuttings grow roots within 7 days. This rapid growth allows us to offer live plants year-round! We have a magnificent mother plant that lives year-round! Cuttings of spring and summer are larger than those of fall and winter.

Houttuynia is also called “Lizard Tail”, “Fish Mint”, and “Chameleon Plant”. It is a perennial from Southeast Asia, now considered to be natural in Europe and America. Our houttuynia is the non-variegated, pure green variety. If planted outdoors, it dies back over the winter but if kept inside, it stays alive year-round.

Houttuynia has a pungent, unique scent, which is a fish-like aroma. The leaves have a lemony, citrus smell and taste and the roots are said to taste like fish broth. The scent of it repels large predators like deer and rabbits. The flowers are white, have four petals (bracts), and a yellow spike in the center. It flowers from May to June.

Seeds can be sown in early spring. It may be best to plant them indoors, using a grow light. Mix some sand and sprinkle the seeds on the surface, barely covering them with soil or they can be carefully pressed in, ensuring they are deep enough to have a bit of soil over it. Keep the soil moist until they germinate.

They are very easy to take care of. They grow fast. As a matter of fact, it is said to be very difficult to kill. It can be recovered and renewed very easily and quickly if you catch it in time. It is very invasive so planting in pots is recommended. It prefers very moist, to wet soil. It is extremely frost-fragile. 

Overtime it will self-seed and spread, filling in beds. It spreads via roots and seed, and it may take time to begin development but once it is established it may take off. Seed germination can be unpredictable, where sometimes it can pop up within a few weeks, as well as in a month or two.

Its maximum growth is around 1 ft. tall, and it can spread out to 4 ft. It can choke out other plants in the vicinity. They naturally appear near bogs, streams, and in shallow waters. They are shade tolerant and the more sun they get, the greener the color may be. They may do best in rich, moist soil with partial shade. It can tolerate water two or three inches above its stem crown. Some like to place the entire pot into the ground, ensuring the roots do not get out of control. They grow best in zones 4-10.

We have Houttuynia products, which you can purchase them and read about the potential medicinal benefits by Clicking Here.

My Personal Experience Growing Houttuynia

Hands-down, one of the easiest plants to care for that I have ever grown. I keep it in a sunny window and in a flowerpot that sits in a 1″ deep pan, which I keep full of water. I rotate its pot once a week. My plants flower until the end of August, here in zone 7, which is a month longer than what most information on it says. Every stalk produces a flower, which then turns to seed.

I simply cut just below any “V” section of a stem anywhere on the plant, and then place it in a cup filled with dirt or I place it in nothing but water. If I place cuttings in water, I am sure to change it to fresh water every four days. Within two weeks I have roots and every single cutting I take thrives, as long as I keep it damp, warm, and with some light. It is an ideal plant to grow in a glass hydroponic vase. I grow it both inside the home and in the greenhouse.

It is a lovely plant to have in my kitchen. In the home it grows all year round, as long as it doesn’t get below freezing. I enjoy collecting medicinal plants, especially when the fresh plant is the most medicinal variation to take! I would recommend this plant to anyone who loves to collect medicinal plants or to anyone growing the first time!