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Houttuynia cordata ( hoo - TY - nee - uh kor - DAY - tuh ) is one of those herbaceous perennial that gets less tending than it deserves .
The plant is aboriginal throughout the Orient , from China and Northeastern India to Japan and Korea . The leaves come in a range of color , and much of the plant is edible .
The shrub is well known by the common name “ chameleon works ” in the West , although a range of other nicknames exist , particularly in its native home ground .
These include :
It ’s one of about seven make love species in the Saururaceae family .
While chameleon plant life has a visual appeal when used as aperennial ground cover , its true value lies in the cuisines and traditional medicine of Southeast Asia .
Growers should always confine the plant , as the rhizomes fragmentize easily and will uphold to regrow and spread if even a small while remains after removing the plant itself .
Chameleon Plant Care
Size & Growth
H. cordata is a tight - growing shrub which grow to or so .6 to 24 ” inches tall and 39 ” inches across . Its 3 ” column inch long , gist - shaped leaves are unripened with margins that may be bronze , cream , maroon , pinkish , red , or yellow .
These grow opposite each other on thin , vertical radical and give off a varying scent when crushed or bruise ..
While the works look to give way in fall , theroot system of rules remains executable and is up to of persist dormant for up to 20 long time . It can be slow to come forth in spring , but spreads rapidly underground if not incorporate .
Flowering and Fragrance
With a rosiness sentence extending from May to late summertime , the flowers of these gynandromorph plants are sometimes escape due to their tiny size of it .
Short 1 to 1.5 ” inch ear ( for which the family line gets its name of “ lizard posterior ” ) are hem in by four tiny white bracts . The flowers themselves are greenish white to greenish yellow and under 1 ” inch in size .
Light & Temperature
Zyuyaku will require either part or full sunlight , depending on the results you prefer .
In full Dominicus , the leaves have a fuller and more varied range of colors . However , it grow quicker in fond sunlight , with leaves generally taking on a green or maroon color .
The plant is also capable to survive in a wide image of temperature conditions , being plantable in USDA hardiness zone 4 to 11 , although it favour geographical zone 5 to 8 .
The roots are extremely resilient , but the above - earth portions will pall in the first frost . amount spring , the hole up roots will once again sprout and the ostensibly dead plant will regrow .
Watering and Feeding
Dokudami is a versatile plant which need restrained watering . While well - drained soil is often favour , it can permit up to 2 ” inches of standing water .
While an organic - plentiful soil is preferred , the plant will adapt to pitiable soil stipulation and does n’t require any additional eating .
Soil & Transplanting
The chameleon plant is able to get in a wide kitchen range of soils , from sandy to clay . Its ability to acquire in standing water makes this plant life perfect for found in boggy areas , but it ’s unable to handle drought conditions .
You should always transplant this metal money in sunken containers or otherwise restrain the roots down to a deepness of at least 1 ’ foot to prevent invasive public exposure .
Grooming And Maintenance
When charge is train to confine the theme , this plant postulate very little criminal maintenance . However , raging and dry condition may cause the motley foliage to scorch when leave in full sun .
The plant may be mop or otherwise crushed to restore healthy foliation , although the ensue smell may be unpleasant for some .
How To Propagate Chinese Lizard Tail
While the seed may be germinated in a greenhouse and transplanted to pots , chameleon plant life ’s ill fame make out from its ability to spread from plant fragment , cuttings , and division . It will easy self - propagate if given the chance .
Zyuyaku Pest or Disease Problems
One of the most live plant you ’ll find , the Chamaeleon flora has no pest or disease issues , although it may draw aphids and slugs . It ’s water - tolerant , but can not treat drought .
This plant is considered ahighly invasive speciesthroughout most of the world . As it spread almost uncontrollably through its rhizomes , grower should only grow the plant in container , either above or below flat coat , to prevent unwanted spreading .
Once it spreads out of confinement , zyuyaku is very difficult to block , as it resists most weedkiller . The only known way of life to all remove it is to carefully extract all contaminated stain and systematically destroy every shadow of rhizome that may be hide in it .
Suggested Chameleon Plant Uses
When proper care is take to restrict spreading , this plant makes a great perimeter along driveways or in planters .
Its ability to do by remain firm water also allows it to be an effective accent to water features such as rude waterways and hokey ponds , although it should stay in sunken containers to prevent encroaching increment .
The whole plant is considered eatable . The leaves themselves may give slightly different flavors during the grow season , but become acid by August .
The shoot and leaves are most often harvested in spring . Some consider the flavour of the leaves and theme are different between plant life from China and Japan .
A korean tea is address yakmomil - cha when made using the leaves and yakmomil - kkot - cha when made with the flowers . Meanwhile , the root is pop in many Southwestern Taiwanese cuisine
As a medicinal herbaceous plant , chameleon flora is a life-sustaining part of traditional Formosan medical specialty and is used for the treatment of many ailments even today .
There is some grounds that the plant life is antibacterial , anti - incitive , and antiviral . It ’s used to push dysentery , chronic sinusitis , leukemia , coughs , and even snake in the grass bites and skin disorder .
ascendant extract is used as a diuretic , while the foliage are an acerbic .
