The other title of this should be “How to make do with an unwanted plant”.
It’s long past time for some new cuttings for the mantle, and this time I decided to go with something that I needed to pull up anyway and that I have way more of than I will ever want. Houttuynia Cordata, or fishy-smelling herb, can be considered an invasive ground cover here in the States.
Flowering Houttuynia
It can be pretty and charming in it’s own way. It does have pretty little white flowers with giant stamens. However, it proliferates with runners underground, and once it gets started, it’s incredibly difficult to stop it. It can, and will, take over your garden if you aren’t careful. It’s the one plant that the former owner mentioned by name that she wished she never planted. I’ve been pulling it up all spring, and it will never end. Although I do have a plan that involves pulling the plant and then injecting poison directly into the roots. But until then, I just pull. And pull. And pull some more.
Gathered Houttuynia
Today, while pulling, I decided to make some use out of them and make arrangements for the mantle.
Mantle with houttuynia arrangements
The left vase is filled with “chameleon”, a variegated houttuynia with pink edges to some of the leaves.
Chameleon Houttuynia Cordata
It starts out so pretty and innocent. These cute little leaves poking out of the ground in early spring. Now in late spring, most measure about 18″ tall, but some are even as tall as 2 feet! That’s tall enough to crowd out and cover the other plants that I want to see– mostly small hostas.
Chameleon Houttuynia Cordata arrangement
The vase on the right holds an arrangement of the more sedately colored leaves of houttuynia- the more common form.
Houttuynia arrangement
When I first figured out what plant this was, and how I’m never not going to have it (unless there is a major overhaul in the garden which is not happening ever because 1. time, 2. money, and 3. too many things I want to keep), I started looking around to see if there were any other uses for houttuynia. Apparently, this Asian plant is well known in the East and is used both medicinally and in culinary. People will eat the roots and leaves, dry the plant and use it in tea. Others use it as an herbal medicine to treat upper respiratory infections, to detoxify, and as a diuretic. As much as I would love to believe that this plant that proliferates in my garden could help me in some way, I sincerely doubt it. If anything, it would probably cause me gastrointestinal distress.
Detail of Houttuynia
Given how stubborn this plants seem to be, I wonder if some of them will try sprouting roots while living inside. I think I will try to find out more information about how to prepare them- hey another edible plant in the garden would be excellent! :)
Linking up to these parties: Remodelaholic
