Overview

Bring the vibrant essence of Asia to your garden or kitchen with this bundle of Houttuynia Cordata live plant specimens. Known by many names, including Dokudami, Fish Mint, Diep Ca, and Rau Vap Ca, this versatile herbaceous perennial is celebrated for its distinctive aroma, culinary uses, and traditional medicinal properties. Each order includes 10 organic Houttuynia Cordata live plants, ready to thrive in a variety of settings. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, these robust plants are an excellent choice for adding a touch of exotic greenery and flavor to your home or landscape.

Our organic Houttuynia Cordata plants are grown with care, ensuring you receive healthy, vigorous specimens. This plant is characterized by its heart-shaped leaves, which often display attractive reddish hues, and its ability to form a dense groundcover. It’s a popular ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine, offering a unique, slightly fishy, and citrusy flavor profile. Beyond its culinary appeal, the plant is also valued for its ornamental beauty and ease of cultivation, making it a fantastic addition to herb gardens, mixed borders, or even as a groundcover.

Key Benefits

The Houttuynia Cordata live plant offers a multitude of benefits, from culinary applications to ornamental value and ease of care. Its unique characteristics make it a standout choice for various gardening needs.

• Culinary Versatility: The leaves of the Dokudami plant are a staple in many Asian cuisines, particularly in salads, spring rolls, and as a garnish. They impart a distinctive flavor that is both refreshing and slightly pungent, adding an authentic touch to your dishes.
• Ornamental Appeal: With its heart-shaped leaves, often variegated with shades of green, red, and yellow, Houttuynia Cordata makes an attractive groundcover or container plant. Its small, white, star-like flowers add a delicate beauty to the plant during its blooming season.
• Air Purifying Qualities: Like many plants, Houttuynia Cordata contributes to improved air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, making it a beneficial addition to both indoor and outdoor environments.
• Fast Growing & Easy to Establish: This perennial is known for its vigorous growth habit, quickly establishing itself and spreading to form a lush carpet. It’s an excellent choice for filling in garden spaces or creating a vibrant green backdrop.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, Houttuynia Cordata requires minimal attention. It is generally resistant to pests and diseases and tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions, making it ideal for busy gardeners.
• Adaptable to Various Climates: The plant is quite hardy and can adapt to different climates, thriving in both temperate and tropical regions. This adaptability ensures that your grow Houttuynia Cordata efforts will be rewarded.
• Potential Health Benefits: In traditional practices, the Fish Mint herb has been used for various wellness purposes, valued for its purported anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Growing Houttuynia Cordata live plant is generally straightforward due to its robust and adaptable nature. Understanding its basic needs will ensure a thriving plant whether grown indoors or out.

For sunlight, Houttuynia Cordata prefers partial shade to full sun. In hotter climates, some afternoon shade is beneficial to prevent leaf scorching. If growing indoors, place it near a window that receives bright, indirect light. This plant is quite flexible and can tolerate various light levels, but optimal growth and color are achieved with a good balance.

When it comes to watering, keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry periods, but avoid waterlogging. Houttuynia Cordata enjoys a good drink, particularly if planted in full sun. Well-draining soil is crucial to prevent root rot. For soil type, it thrives in rich, moist, loamy soil, but can adapt to a range of soil conditions, including clay and sandy soils, as long as drainage is adequate. Fertilize sparingly; a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season is usually sufficient for this Dokudami plant. No special fertilization is typically needed if planted in rich garden soil. The plant is quite hardy and can withstand various temperatures, generally thriving in USDA Hardiness Zones 6-10, though it can be grown as an annual in colder zones or brought indoors during winter. Common problems are few, but watch out for excessive spreading; consider planting in containers or with root barriers to manage its enthusiastic growth.

Size & Details

This offering includes 10 organic Houttuynia Cordata live plants, each in its seedling stage, ready for transplanting. While the exact height and width at shipment may vary, these vigorous seedlings are prepared to quickly establish themselves and begin their rapid growth. Typically, a mature Fish Mint herb can reach a height of 6-12 inches and spread indefinitely as a groundcover, making it an excellent choice for filling garden spaces or creating lush borders. The plants are shipped bare root or in small nursery pots to ensure their health and vitality upon arrival, minimizing transplant shock. With proper care, you can expect these plants to establish quickly and begin to spread within the first growing season, providing a bountiful harvest or attractive groundcover. The rapid growth rate makes it satisfying to grow Houttuynia Cordata.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: A mature Houttuynia Cordata live plant typically reaches a height of 6-12 inches. It is known for its spreading growth habit, forming a dense groundcover that can expand significantly over time if not contained.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Houttuynia Cordata is highly versatile and can be grown both indoors and outdoors. It thrives outdoors in garden beds or containers, and indoors as a unique houseplant, provided it receives adequate light and moisture.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This plant prefers partial shade to full sun. In regions with intense summer heat, some afternoon shade is recommended to protect its leaves. For optimal growth and vibrant foliage, a balance of sun and shade is ideal.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Dokudami plant is considered low maintenance and relatively easy to care for, making it suitable for gardeners of all experience levels. It’s robust, adaptable, and generally resistant to pests and diseases.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your organic Houttuynia Cordata live plants will arrive as healthy seedlings, typically bare root or in small nursery pots, carefully packaged to ensure their vitality and minimize stress during transit.
• Q: Can I use Fish Mint in cooking? A: Absolutely! The leaves of the Fish Mint herb are a popular ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine, often used fresh in salads, spring rolls, and as a garnish due to their distinctive, slightly pungent flavor.
• Q: When is the best time to plant? A: The best time to plant Houttuynia Cordata is in spring after the last frost, or in early summer. If growing indoors, it can be planted year-round.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Houttuynia Cordata is hardy in USDA Zones 6-10. In colder zones, it can be grown as an annual or brought indoors for the winter to protect it from freezing temperatures.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature it can tolerate? A: This plant can tolerate temperatures down to approximately 0°F to -10°F (Zones 6-7) if well-established. In colder climates, it may die back to the ground but often re-emerges in spring.
• Q: What type of soil does it prefer? A: The Houttuynia Cordata live plant prefers moist, rich, well-draining soil. While adaptable, it performs best in loamy soil conditions.