Cnidium japonicum

Cnidium japonicum is a small plant in the carrot family, Apiaceae. Its native range runs from northeastern China to Korea. It grows in central and southern Japan, too. Its range also takes in the Ogasawara Islands. Kew places it in a temperate climate. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. In Japan, it grows in sand near the sea. Records from China's Liaoning Province place it on the coast, too.

The plant grows to about 0.7 feet [0.2 metres] tall. Kew calls it a perennial, which lives for several years. Plants For A Future says it may also be biennial, living two years. That source gives no width or detailed account of its leaves. The plant blooms from August through October. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects carry pollen between flowers. The plant is also self-fertile: it can use its own pollen. Seeds ripen in September and October, while flowers still bloom.

Plants For A Future says sand and loam suit it. The soil should drain well but stay moist. The plant needs sun and will not grow in shade. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. The same source says it can cope with exposure near the sea. These needs fit the coastal sites where it grows wild. Yet the source notes how little we know about growing it. It bases some of these needs on its wild habitat.

The account does not confirm how well it withstands Britain's cold. Plants For A Future thinks its range offers a clue. It may grow outdoors across much of Britain. This is an estimate, not a tested hardiness rating. The source lists garden beds as a place to grow it. It suggests growing plants from seed in a cold frame. Sow fresh seed when ripe, or stored seed in late winter. These are proposed methods, not results from trials on this species. Move seedlings to their own pots once large enough to handle. The source suggests planting them outdoors in summer.

Plants For A Future lists cooked leaves as food. It gives the plant a low food-use rating. It lists no known uses as medicine or for other purposes. It also records no weed potential. The evidence gives no pest or disease details for this species. Nor does it show that this species is toxic or safe. The source bases its warning on a report about another genus member. That report does not prove that Cnidium japonicum is toxic. The record of cooked leaves as food is no broad assurance of safety.