Japanese name: ヨツバヒヨドリ（四葉鵯） Scientific name:Eupatorium glehnii
[Overview]
A perennial 0.8–1.7 m tall, found in grasslands in the mountains and in moist grasslands in the lowlands.
It has a short rhizome.
The stem is erect, branches in the upper part, and is sparsely hairy.
The leaves are simple, in whorls of 3–6, lanceolate, 7–20 cm long and 1–6 cm wide.
Both surfaces of the leaves are sparsely covered with short hairs, and the underside usually has glandular dots.
The leaf margins have sharp serrations.
The leaves have short petioles.
At the nodes in the upper part of the stem, the leaves are sometimes opposite or alternate.
Many pale reddish purple flower heads are borne in corymbs at the tips of the stems and branches.
The flower heads consist only of tubular flowers, and the pistils protrude from the flowers.
The fruit is an achene with a pappus.
[Uses]
The whole plant is used medicinally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by stem cuttings.
It prefers a sunny site with soil that is both well drained and moisture-retentive.
Avoid places that get strong afternoon sun or that dry out.
Rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long sunny spell and the soil dries out.
Too much fertilizer makes the plant leggy and reduces flowering, so apart from basal fertilizer none is particularly needed.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
