Fallopia multiflora Seeds | Fo-ti
LATIN NAME: Fallopia multiflora
COMMON NAME: Fo-ti
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Fo-ti (Fallopia multiflora) is a climbing vine in the knotweed family. Fo-ti is climbing vine of old walls, and small, white flowers open in fine clusters through late summer. It is a plant of open, sunny to partly shaded, deep, moist, well-drained ground. When it flowers, local bees and other insects make good use of it. For the small amount of care it requires, the return is remarkable.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Fallopia multiflora, a representative of the knotweed family with clear practical value. Centuries of cultivation have left a detailed record of how it grows and behaves.
Uses & Benefits
Fo-ti brings genuine presence to the garden and earns its keep across the growing season. Fo-ti is a fine, historic vine of old wall and study collection. Small, white flowers open in fine clusters through late summer, and roots have a very long record in old practice of the warm East as tonic of hair and the vitality. In cool gardens top growth dies back in winter and root stock comes again in the spring. Beyond the establishment year, its needs are simple and few.
Japanese knotweed is infamous as an invader, yet its root, Hu Zhang, is a major Chinese herb and one of the richest natural sources of resveratrol, the red-wine polyphenol studied for cardiovascular and longevity pathways.
Growing from Seed
Fo-ti grows readily from seed. Fill a pot with a light seed compost, sow evenly on the surface, cover thinly and stand it somewhere warm, bright and evenly moist. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.
Our Take
Fo-ti repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
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