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Vaccaria Hispanica Cowherb Wang Bu Liu Xing Seeds
Packet of 25+ home grown organic seeds!
This is a species I am very glad to have in the collection for a few different reasons.
It is mostly known by the name Wang Bu Liu Xing or just Vaccaria, but also rice milk, cowherb, cowcockle, cow basil, cow soapwort, prairie carnation, cowcockle, and many many others.
Botanically it was once know by Dianthus inclusus, Gypsophila vaccaria, Lychnis vaccaria,Lychnis vaccaria, Saponaria amplissima, Saponaria hispanica, Saponaria inclusa, Saponaria pentagona, Saponaria perfoliata, Saponaria repens, Saponaria rubra, Saponaria segetalis, Saponaria vaccaria, Saponaria vaccaria f. grohii, Silene vaccaria, Vaccaria arvensis, Vaccaria brachycalyx, Vaccaria hispanica subsp. liniflora, Vaccaria hispanica subsp. pyramidata, Vaccaria hispanica subsp. vaccaria, Vaccaria hispanica var. liniflora, Vaccaria hispanica var. vaccaria, Vaccaria inclusa, Vaccaria liniflora, Vaccaria parviflora, Vaccaria perfoliata, Vaccaria pyramidalis, Vaccaria pyramidata, Vaccaria pyramidata subsp. parviflora, Vaccaria segetalis, Vaccaria segetalis subsp. pyramidata, Vaccaria sessiliflora, Vaccaria sessilifolia, Vaccaria vaccaria and Vaccaria vulgaris.
This plant is now has the single species name of Vaccaria hispanica, and as far as I can tell no other forms or subspecies are accepted any more.
That said, the one I grow and sell is the less ornamental form that has flowers that generally open unevenly, have slightly shorter petals, and hardly protrude from the attractive pods.
It is not the much more common form that has larger flowers that fully open evenly and commonly grows as a roadside weed in USA and Europe.
It is the real deal Chinese medicinal form, and it was originally sourced from the Xingtai Hebei area of China which is an area renown for growing the best and most potent Wang Bu Liu Xing in the country.
Ok, so it’s fancy, but what is it used for?
The word “Vaccaria” is Latin and it means “Cow-ery”.
Vacca =Cow, aria=ary. Cowery or “Dairy farm” in modern language.
It is a prized cattle fodder in its native range of Europe and Asia and has been introduced to North America for this reason too.
It is also used for Auricular therapy or Ear Acupressure.
These pics are worth a look, and Wikipedia has a bit of info about aurticular here.
Basically they are a single seed glued to squares of sticky tape.
These are stuck to the ear to push and activate specific points to treat conditions that may be producing symptoms in other parts of the body.
These are generally left attached for a 1-7days and are used in the treatment of addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, stablise mood disorders, decrease obesity, alleviate pain etc etc etc.
Seems to be cool in Hollywood at the moment with heaps of famous folks wearing them.
The main internal medicinal uses are for Vaccaria are promoting blood flow and increasing production of milk in nursing mothers.
It is also used to speed healing, reduce swelling, cure infection, painful urination, shingles mastitis, and for the promotion and regulation of menstruation.
It also has and extensive history of use in the development of anabolic steroids , and as a precursor in cortizone production, and studies show it may be useful in prevention of prostrate, colon, breast and ovarian cancers.
It contains vacsegoside A, B, C, D, triterpenoid saponins like, vaccarin, isosaponarin, phytin, phospholipids, stigmasterol, cyclic peptide, phenolic acid, flavonoids, alkaloids and steroids.
It is a prized cattle fodder in its native range of Europe and Asia and has been introduced to North America for this reason too.
Like all high saponin species it can be toxic and purgative in large amounts with the only difference from medicines and poisons is the dosage.
For that reason I can’t offer any advice on ingestion and strongly suggest you resist the urge to eat it, just admiring it as an ornamental like I do.
Because of these high levels of saponoids, the plant is a great soap and detergent substitute though!
Just rip a bit out, rub it in your hands, add water.
It foams and bubbles, lowering the waters surface tension just like supermarket soaps and detergents do.
I use often as a sort of pre-wash, preventing me dripping oil, dirt and crap all the way through the house on to the way to the bathroom.
It looks very cool, quite different to most of my other species.
It grows reliably and easily with germination happening within a month for me here, and I hope to keep it in my collection indefinitely.
Grown by me and the Mrs organically, no chems, no nasties, no dramas!
