Plant decoctions are traditionally taken by Sotho diviners to facilitate divining and are also used to purify divining bones.
The roots are used to make `ubulawu'.
Root and leaf decoctions are reputed to have analgesic effects.
Root decoctions are taken at bedtime for the treatment of impotence.Zulu men take a leaf or root decoction to cure lack of seminal emission.

Plant Description :

It can grow to 1.5 m in height. The evergreen leaves are 5-10 cm long and 2-3 cm broad, produced in whorls of 4-7 starlike around the central stem. It climbs with tiny hooks at the leaves and stems. The flowers are small (3-5 mm across), with five pale yellow petals, in dense racemes, and appear from June to August, followed by small (4-6 mm diameter) red to black berries. The roots can be over a metre long, up to 12 mm thick. It prefers loamy soils with a constant level of moisture. Madders are used as food plants for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hummingbird hawk moth.

Growing Information :

Prefers a loose moist leafy soil in some shade. Tolerates dry soils but quickly becomes scorched when growing in full sun

Seeds are best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed can be very slow to germinate. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for the first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring or at any time in the growing season if the divisions are kept well watered until established. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.

It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from July to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland).
The roots are harvested in the autumn from plants that are at least 3 years old. They are peeled and then dried.