Chinese Knotweed, Red bush

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Chinese Knotweed is a perennial herbaceous vine which quickly spreads and covers any available surfaces. When not climbing over other plants or structures, plants grow to 70 cm to 1 metre tall. Stems are pinkish in colour and leaves are generally soft textured, serrated edged and 4-16cm long. Chinese knotweed flowers in autumn. Flowers are cream/pink and grow in clusters at the end of leafed stems. Plants grow from rhizomes (or tubers) and stem fragments. Rhizomes are irregular in shape and generally 6-15cm long and 4-12cm in diameter. The tubers are reddish brown in colour.
The whole plant of Chinese Knotweed is used against skin disease. Boiled tender shoots are given to pregnant women for increasing general health.