Leonurus sibiricus "Marijuanilla"

Leonurus sibiricus
Leonurus sibiricus "Marijuanilla"

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Leonurus
Species: sibiricus

Category: Perennials

Height:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)

Spacing: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)



Sun Exposure: Full Sun

Bloom Color: Pink



Description
Leonurus sibiricus is an herbaceous annual or biennial with upright stems that grow from 20 to 80 cm tall. Plants have long petioled basal leaves that are ovate-cordate in shape. The leaves have toothed margins and are incised with deeply cut lobes. Typically one or a few flowering stems are produced from short tap-roots. The lower stem leaves are deciduous and wither away as the plants begin blooming. The petioles of the leaves, midway up the stems are 2 cm long. The flowers are produced in many flowered verticillasters, produced in whorls around the top half or more of the stem. The flowers are sessile with 8 mm long calyx's that are tubular-campanulate in shape. The corolla is white or reddish to purple-red, with an upper lip that is oblong in shape and longer than the lower lip. When flowering is done, brown oblong shaped nutlets are produced in good number. Blooming occurs from July into late September, but flowering can occur year round when climate permits.



Alkaloids
Leonurine is one of the active components of Leonurus sibiricus
Alkaloids isolated from the plant include:

* Cycloleonurinine
* Leoheterin
* Leonurine
* Leonurinine* Leuronurine
* Prehispanolone
* Preleoheterin
* Stachydrine


About This Item:



Item: Leonurus sibiricus- Seeds
Originating from Malaysia, this Old World plant has made its way into the New World where apparently it has come to be used as a substitute for Cannabis sativa in the Chiapas region of Mexico where they call it "marahuanilla" or the "little marijuana."

Simple to grow, these plants make attractive ornamentals with their interesting foliage and ever-blooming purple flowers. While apparently rich in alkaloids, it does not contain THC and owes its interesting entheogenic effects to a yet unidentified compound.

Medicinal Uses:
Antibacterial; Antispasmodic; Astringent; Cardiac; Depurative; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emmenagogue; Hypnotic; Nervine; Oxytoxic; Stimulant; Stomachic; Tonic.

Chinese motherwort is unusual amongst Chinese herbs in that it is often prescribed for use on its own and not in a mixture with other plants. The whole plant is antibacterial, antispasmodic, astringent, cardiac, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypnotic, nervine, oxytocic, stomachic, tonic, uterine stimulant. The seeds have a similar action to the plant, but are a less effective diuretic and depurative. The plant is used in the treatment of painful and excessive menstruation, post-partum bleeding, oedema, kidney complaints, kidney stones, eczema and abscesses. A tincture is used in the treatment of rheumatic fever. The plant stimulates uterine contractions and should not therefore be used when in the earlier stages of pregnancy. The plant is harvested when in flower but before the seeds have set, and is dried for later use.

The plant contains about 0.05% of an alkaloid called leonurine. This has a curare-like effect on the motor-endings of the nervous system, acting in small doses as a stimulant to the respiratory system but in large doses causing respiratory paralysis.





Leonurus sibiricus "Marijuanilla"