Japanese name: コガネバナ（黄金花） Scientific name:Scutellaria baicalensis
[Overview]
A perennial 30–120 cm tall.
It has a rhizome about 2 cm across that is yellow in cross section.
The lower part of the stem spreads sideways along the ground, and the upper part stands erect.
Leaves are simple and opposite, lanceolate, 1.5–4.5 cm long and 0.3–0.5 cm wide, with entire margins.
A spike-like inflorescence at the stem tip bears flowers in pairs, turned to one side.
The corolla is blue-purple and about 2–3 cm long; it is a lipped flower whose tube bends at the base and rises upward, with a hood-shaped upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip.
The fruit is a schizocarp.
[Uses]
The rhizome is called ogon and is used as a crude drug.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by stem cuttings.
As long as the site is sunny, well drained and well ventilated, it is not particular about soil.
It dislikes excess moisture, so for potted plants water thoroughly after the soil has dried, and for plants in the ground rainfall is sufficient.
Too much fertilizer makes it grow too densely and spoils its form, so once base fertilizer has been applied nothing more is needed.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
[Notes]
The name comes from the color of the rhizome.
