Cistanche salsa Seeds | Cistanche
LATIN NAME: Cistanche salsa
COMMON NAME: Cistanche, Desert Hyacinth
Plant Profile
Cistanche (Cistanche salsa) grows as a perennial in the broomrape family (Orobanchaceae), native to dry deserts and saline regions of the east and the central Asia, while it has been used in traditions for a very long time. The ratio of effort to reward here is about as good as gardening gets.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Cistanche salsa ranges from the botany of the broomrape family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Cistanche has a real and distinguished place in research. From a research perspective, species of this kind are valuable material for work on propagation and on the selection of uniform lines.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Cistanche has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Cistanche is a fleshy, parasitic herb of dry deserts, bearing thick, yellowish flowering spikes with small, tubular flowers in the spring. To raise cistanche, sow seeds near roots of a host plant in pots of sandy, open soil in a sunny, warm place, keep them gently watered, and grow little plants on with the host. Mature plants need little attention in a well-chosen position.
Cistanche, Rou Cong Rong, is a desert parasitic herb treasured in Chinese medicine as a gentle yang tonic for energy and regularity; its phenylethanoid glycosides, especially echinacoside and acteoside, are extensively studied for neuroprotective activity.
Growing from Seed
Starting Cistanche from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray bright light. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Part of this plant’s appeal is the long practical history summarized above. Being a perennial, it asks for a permanent spot and repays it yearly. Once the young plants are away, there is little left to do but watch them grow.
Related Reading
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