Pueraria montana

Botanical Description

Pueraria montana is a vigorous, perennial climbing plant producing annual, twining stems from a large, tuberous rootstock that can be up to 2 metres long and 45cm in diameter. The stems can reach 15 - 30 metres or more in length and are up to 10cm in diameter, becoming woody at the base. They scramble over the ground, producing new roots where stem nodes touch the soil and often forming dense carpets over the ground. They also climb high into any trees or shrubs around them and can completely smother forest trees[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. A very useful plant, supplying food, medicines and fibre, as well as being grown in soil conservation projects. It was at one time very widely grown for its edible root and useful fibre, especially in east and southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. It is reputed to be the oldest fibre crop in China and Japan, being mentioned in documents over 2,000 years ago[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. Nowadays it has mostly lost its former importance, cultivation has been abandoned (e.g. In Pacific Islands.) or reduced to a relic state[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. Cultivation, however, is still practised considerably in the highlands of New Guinea, New Caledonia, northern Philippines and in Japan. When grown in warm climates, the root can be invasive and plants have become weeds[ 182 Title Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Publication Author Thomas. G. S. Publisher Murray Year 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 Description Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties. , 219 Title Gardening on Walls Publication Author Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Publisher Collins Year 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0 Description A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls. ]. Introduced into the southern N. American states in 1876 as a soil stabilizer, the var lobata has spread very widely (it can grow up to 30cm in a day), and has swamped out native vegetation, including large trees. It is considered to be one of the most obnoxious weeds in that region, though it has not become weedy elsewhere[ 274 Title Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Publication Author Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Website http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm Publisher Botanical Research Institute, Texas. Year 1999 ISBN 1-889878-01-4 Description An excellent flora, which is also available on-line. , ].