Houttuynia (Guttuinia) : Great economic impoortance
Houttuynia is a unique perennial herb from the Saururaceae family. It grows wild from the Himalayas to Japan, including Taiwan and Java. Often, Houttuynia is a weed in tea and rice fields. People like this plant for its bright colors and looks.
Houttuynia has a thick shape. It grows 20-30 cm tall, with reddish, grooved stems. The leaves are simple and shaped like ovals or triangles. The base of the leaves is heart-shaped.
The leaves are a bit like leather. Their color is green mixed with red, yellow, white, and cream. The colorful leaves make Houttuynia great for gardens.
The plant's flowers have no petals. They are spike-shaped, about 1-3 cm long. Inside the white flower petals is a mini-cob with small yellow flowers. Each flower has 4-5 petals and three stamens with yellow tips. It blooms in May and June for a long time, but not heavily.
Houttuynia has a creeping root system. The roots spread and grow at the nodes. The plant smells bad.
This plant is easy to care for. It likes sunny places; less sun can turn its colors green. It handles moist air and soil well. It can even grow on rocky slopes.
Houttuynia can live through winters in Russia. The leaves die in the first frost. The plant survives under snow without cover. Covering it with compost can help it survive winter better.
You can grow it from cuttings or by dividing the roots in spring or early summer. Houttuynia is good for gardeners since it grows in many places.
This plant has value. It looks good in gardens, especially by ponds. Also, people in its home region eat the leaves in salads or with fish.