ling xiao hua

凌霄花·Flos Campsis

Campsis Flower

About ling xiao hua

Ling Xiao Hua (凌霄花) is the flower of the trumpet creeper, recorded as Flos Campsis. It is sweet and sour in flavour, slightly cold, and enters the Liver and Pericardium channels. The catalogue files it among the herbs that invigorate the Blood.

Names

Pinyin	ling xiao hua
Chinese	凌霄花
Latin Name	Flos Campsis
English Name	Campsis Flower·trumpet creeper flower
Japanese	ryoshoka
Korean	neungsohwa

Classification

Category: Invigorate the Blood
Channels: Pericardium, Liver
Flavour: Sweet, Sour
Temperature: Slightly Cold
Family: Bignoniaeceae
Species: campsis grandiflora
Tags: Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Breaks up Blood stasis, unblocks the channels and vessels, and disperses abdominal masses

Blood stasis after childbirth with lumps in the breast
Abdominal masses from long-standing Blood stasis
Amenorrhea, or periods that are irregular or painful with dark clots
Traumatic injury

Cools the Blood and dispels Wind

Blood Heat showing as itching and similar signs
Rashes and hot, recurring skin eruptions, including rosacea-type and acne-type presentations, where Blood Heat stirs internal Wind

Combinations

dang gui + hong hua + chi shao
Stasis and Stagnation with amenorrhea
ci ji li + sheng di huang + chan tui
Blood Heat with itching
zhi zi
Hemorrhoids Brandy nose
huai hua (chao)
Hemafecia or uterine bleeding

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-10g; External: 30g; Tincture: 1-3ml	3-10 g	—	1-3 ml	—	—

Cautions

contraindication Marked deficiency of Qi and Blood
pregnancy Not for use in pregnancy; as a strong stasis-breaking herb it can bring on uterine contractions
caution A tendency to heavy menstrual bleeding, since it moves Blood rather than building it
caution Must be told apart from the toxic Datura metel flower, which looks much like it