What does Houttuynia look like?

There are many characteristics of chrysanthemum. First of all, it has a unique flower type, as a head, tubular flowers are specialized in ray flowers, which is rare in other plants. Secondly, its fruit is sterile, because tubular flowers can breed fruits and seeds, after specialization, not only can not bear fruit, but also no stamens and pistils. In addition, its color is also very rich. The plants vary in shape, from shorter in the wild, with distinct ray and tubular flowers, to taller in cultivated varieties.

1. Plant form

It is a perennial herbaceous plant, about 15-50 cm high, with a distinct fishy odor.The lower part of its stem is prostrate, rooting underground, and the upper part is erect, relatively smooth and basically glabrous.

2. Blade

The leaves of Houttuynia cordata are alternate, broadly ovate or heart-shaped, about 3-8 cm long and 4-6 cm wide.Apex partially acuminate, margin entire, with fine glandular dots.The color of the top and the bottom is different, the top is yellow-green or dark green, and the bottom is purple-red.It has long petioles, 3-5 cm long.

3. Flowers

It usually blooms between May and August, with peak flowering in the summer.When flowering, it is a spike, the color of the spike is yellow, the flowers grow at the top of the stem, opposite to the leaves, with four white bracts at the base, petal-shaped.Flowers smaller, without tepals.

4. Fruits

Its fruiting period is usually between July and October.The fruit is a capsule, oval in shape.The top part of the fruit will crack when it is ripe.

5. Pictures