Common Name: Ming Aralia

General Information

Polyscias fruticosa is a slow-growing, evergreen shrub with spreading branches, eventually reaching a height of around 2.5 - 5 metres[].
The plant provides edible leaves and also has medicinal uses. It is commonly cultivated, from India to Polynesia, as an ornamental and hedge plant, as well as for culinary use[]. It is cultivated as a medicinal plant in Vietnam[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

The plant probably arose through cultivation - it is grown in many parts of tropical Asia.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild location

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in the tropics and the subtropics[].
Prefers a position in bright shade or part sun[]. Requires a well-drained, acid soil[].
All parts of the plant. Especially the leaves. are sweetly scented[].
Plants can flower all year round[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves and shoots - cooked[]. Steamed and eaten as greens or added to soups etc as a flavouring[, , ]. They have an aromatic flavour, reminiscent of parsley[, ].

Leaves, young shoots, and also roots, are consumed raw or cooked as a vegetable and flavouring[, ].

Medicinal

The plant has been used for centuries in traditional medicine, where it is seen as being analgesic, febrifuge and diuretic[].

The roots have an agreeable and strongly aromatic smell, they taste like parsley, and are used as a diuretic[]. They are well known for their reconstituent properties and are used for treating general debility. fatigue. dyspepsia. fever. headache. mastitis. hypogalactia. cough. haemoptysis. oliguria, rheumatism and lumbago. They improve the resistance of the body to various noxious agents[].

A gruel made with 50 to 100g of fresh leaves is galactagogic[].
A poultice of pounded fresh leaves is effective in helping to heal wounds. furunculosis. phlegmon and mastitis[].

The bark is used medicinally[].

The roots are harvested at the end of the growing season from plants that are over 3 years old. They are washed and then dried for later use[].
The leaves can be harvested all the year round and are used fresh[].

TIle roots contain triterpenoid saponins[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is widely grown as a hedge in the tropics[, ]. It is one of the most common hedges in the tropical lowlands[].

Other Uses

The plant is used for making joss sticks by the Buddhist monks in Cambodia[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown when fresh[].
Stem cuttings. Cut off the tops of old plants which will in turn stimulate the formation of new growth. Use 10cm long shoots as cuttings. The optimal rooting temperature is with a bottom heat of 21 - 23°c[]. Avoid heavy misting since the roots develop slower when the soil is waterlogged[]. Avoid disturbing the plant roots during the propagation[].
Root cuttings - these are made with 25mm long root segments. The top of the root should be level with the surface[].
Air layering.
Division of root suckers. Some cultivars produce an abundance of suckers that can be removed when their root system is developed.

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