Tripterygium regelii Seeds | Thunder God Vine
LATIN NAME: Tripterygium regelii
COMMON NAME: Thunder God Vine
Plant Profile
Tripterygium regelii is the northern thunder god vine, a woody climber of the staff-tree family that scrambles over thickets in north-eastern China, Korea and Japan. It is close to the better-known T. wilfordii and is treated by some botanists as a variety of it, differing in its thinner, shorter leaves, its smaller flower clusters and its three-winged fruit. The whole plant is bitter and toxic, and it is a plant for study and for the back of a large garden, not for the herb bed. In autumn the foliage turns a soft yellow before it falls. The stems are slender and reddish when young.
Science & Biotechnology
The genus is defined by its diterpenoids, and triptolide, the compound that made T. wilfordii famous in immunology, has been reported from this species as well, though the emphasis in the literature is on the genus rather than on T. regelii alone. That matters practically, because the same cautions apply. Work on the genus has also examined its sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids and its insecticidal properties, and extracts have been tested as a botanical insecticide, which is a more defensible use than any internal one. The taxonomic boundary between the two species is still debated, and intermediate plants occur where their ranges meet. Analytical work on the genus has also looked at the variation in diterpenoid profile between populations, which is one reason material is not interchangeable.
Uses & Benefits
Its traditional record is as an external preparation for joint pain and skin complaints, applied with great care, and as a fish poison and insecticide in folk practice. In the garden it is a vigorous climber for a strong pergola, with three-winged fruit that catches the light and yellow autumn colour. Its roots have been used in research on immunosuppression and on male fertility, the latter because of documented reproductive toxicity. It should never be self-administered, and the raw root is restricted in several jurisdictions. The three-winged fruit is also used in dried arrangements, which is the safest use of all. In Korea and Japan the young shoots are sometimes gathered in spring, though the practice is not without risk.
Growing from Seed
The seed is dormant and slow. Mix it with damp sand and hold at two to five degrees for ten to twelve weeks, then sow on a gritty surface at eighteen to twenty-two degrees and keep it bright. Germination is staggered over two months or more. The seedling needs a frame from the first season, since the shoots are thin and trailing, and it grows best in a deep, humus-rich soil in light shade. Handle with gloves, and keep the fruit away from children, who find the papery wings attractive. Cut it back hard in late winter to keep it within bounds. Water it well in its first season, then only in drought, since the root resents standing water.
Our Take
A northern cousin of a famous and dangerous medicine, best grown as a climbing curiosity and handled with respect. Admire the fruit; do not brew the root.
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