Chinese belamcanda (Belamcanda chinensis)
Other names: anginum, leopard flower, leopard lily, blackberry lily, Iris domestica, Ixia chinensis, She Gan
Harm score: 1 (Natural substances)
Chinese belamkanda, also known as anginia, leopard flower, leopard lily, blackberry lily, Iris domestica, Ixia chinensis, or She Gan, is an attractive perennial native to East Asia. It is a plant in the Iridaceae family. The distinctive features of the Chinese belamkanda are its perennial rhizomatous roots, sword-shaped leaves and strikingly coloured flowers, which range in colour from orange to purple with darker spots. The flowers appear in summer and are very popular with bees and butterflies. In autumn, the plant produces brightly coloured fruit that resembles blueberries, hence the name blackberry lily.
The Chinese belamkanda is known not only for its aesthetic value but also for its medicinal properties. It is a part of traditional Chinese medicine, where it is mainly used to treat throat and bronchial diseases such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, asthma and coughs. Belamkanda root is mainly used for this purpose, as it contains a number of bioactive substances, including isoflavonoids, iridoids and sterol. It is an important component of a Chinese medicinal tincture called 'She Gan Ma Huang Tang'. In addition, oils are pressed from various parts of the plant and used in the cosmetic industry to produce various creams and ointments.