Linaria vulgaris (common toadflax, "Hosobaunran")

Japanese name: ホソバウンラン （細葉海蘭）
Scientific name: Linaria vulgaris

[Overview]
A perennial 15–90 cm tall, growing along roadsides and in grassy places.
The whole plant is tinged with a powdery white.
The stem branches well from the base.
Leaves are simple, opposite or in whorls, and alternate on the upper part of the stem.
The leaves are lanceolate, 2–6 cm long and 0.1–0.5 cm wide, and entire.
There is no leaf stalk.
A short raceme is produced at the stem tip, and the flowers open in order from the bottom of the raceme.
The flowers are pale yellow; the corolla is two-lipped, with the upper lip erect and 2-lobed, and the lower lip large and 3-lobed, with a raised base that is yellowish orange.
Behind the flower is a spur extending straight downward.
The fruit is a spherical capsule 0.5–1.1 cm in diameter, which splits irregularly when ripe.
The seeds are winged.

[History]
Plants introduced in the Meiji to Taisho periods as ornamental and medicinal plants have become naturalized in various places.

[Uses]
The whole plant is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or from seed.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, well-aerated soil.
It dislikes acidic soil and excessive moisture.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply base fertilizer, and in spring also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil.
Excess nitrogen makes the plant leggy and prone to falling over, so use fertilizer sparingly or choose one low in nitrogen.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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