Madagaskar-Immergrün

Hypothetical Crop Management: Hay A plant of the tropics and subtropics, it can also be cultivated as an annual crop in warm temperate areas[ 418 ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30c, but can tolerate 10 - 34c[ 418 ]. At temperatures below 5c, some branches or even the whole plant will die. When the temperature rises, the plant will usually regrow from basal axillary buds, especially after hard pruning of the shoots and roots. Without pruning, the plant regrows mainly from the tops[ 299 ]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 800 - 1,400mm[ 418 ]. Established plants are drought tolerant[ 299 ]. An easily grown plant, it prefers a fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a sunny to partially shaded position[ 302 ]. Usually found on sandy soils in the wild, but sometimes also on rocky soils[ 299 ]. It is very tolerant of salt in the soil[ 299 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[ 418 ]. The plant may become a naturalised weed, especially when growing in dry habitats[ 302 ]. In the tropics, the roots are ready for harvest after one year[ 418 ]. In Hungary, when grown as an annual, average yield is 3.5 - 4.5 tonnes/ha of the fresh herb, or 1 - 1.5 tonnes/ha of dried herb[ 418 ]. Under irrigation conditions, 1.5 tonnes/ha of roots, 1.5 tonnes/ha of stems and 3 tonnes/ha of leaves can be obtained[ 418 ]. The plant is usually self-fertile, but self-incompatible strains exist and can be locally common in the wild[ 299 ].

Edible Parts: Leaves Edible Uses: Tea A tea is made from the leaves.

Fodder Other uses rating: Low (1/5). Other Uses: Cultivated as an ornamental. A bedding plant in temperate gardens. Noted for its long flowering period. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds.

Heimisch: Madagascar Eingeführt: Alabama, Aldabra, Andaman Is., Angola, Argentina Northeast, Aruba, Ascension, Assam, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Borneo, Burkina, California, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Central American Pacific Is., Chad, Chagos Archipelago, China South-Central, China Southeast, Christmas I., Comoros, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, DR Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Himalaya, Easter Is., El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Florida, French Guiana, Gabon, Galápagos, Galápagos Islands, Gambia, Georgia, Gilbert Is., Guatemala, Guinea, Gulf States, Gulf of Guinea Is., Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jawa, Kansas, Kazan-retto, Kenya, Kermadec Is., Kriti, Laccadive Is., Leeward Is., Lesser Sunda Is., Louisiana, Madeira, Malaya, Maldives, Marianas, Marquesas, Marshall Is., Mauritius, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Mississippi, Mozambique, Mozambique Channel Is., Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Nicaragua