Osbeckia chinensis

Osbeckia chinensis is in the Melastomataceae plant family. Its native range spans Asia's tropical and subtropical zones. It extends to northern Australia. It grows in China, Japan, India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. Most records place it in subtropical zones. It also grows in the tropics. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. People sometimes gather wild plants for use in local medicine.

This plant grows upright and has soft stems. The stems can turn woody. Some plants form a small shrub. Garden sources give heights of about 1.6–2 feet [0.5–0.6 metres]. A broader account gives 0.7–3.3 feet [0.2–1 metre]. Sources do not agree on its life cycle. Two call it a perennial, which lives for several years. Kew lists an annual or shrub. An annual lives for one year. These reports suggest that its form and lifespan vary. The supplied texts give no details of leaves, bark, or fruit. Plants For A Future lists July as its bloom time. Each flower has both male and female organs.

In Japan, it grows in grassy lowland sites. Records from China list hills and roadsides. They also list the edges of rice fields. Other sites include open grassy slopes and thin woods. It also grows beside trails. Records range from near sea level to 9,200 feet [2,800 metres]. Plants For A Future lists sun or light shade for growing it. It accepts sandy, loamy, and clay soils. Soil can range from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. It prefers moist soil. Growers can raise new plants from seed.

Read the reports on cold with care. Plants For A Future says frost can harm it. It advises a warm greenhouse in Britain. It also lists USDA zones 8–11. Useful Tropical Plants says it can stand brief frosts near 25°F [-4°C]. This does not show it can stand long, cold winters. Plants For A Future lists garden beds as a place to grow it. It does not flag this species as weedy.

Neither plant-use source lists food uses or known hazards. This does not show that all parts are safe to eat. Past uses include remedies for coughs and fever. They also include remedies for diarrhoea and dysentery. Useful Tropical Plants also lists root remedies for high blood sugar. These reports of use in medicine do not prove safe treatment. Neither source lists other practical uses. The supplied accounts name no specific pests or diseases.