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Chamberbitter (Phyllanthus urinaria): Are there any uses for it, or is it just a nuisance?

 
Posts: 27
Location: GA Piedmont
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I can't stand this stuff. It speads like crazy! It doesn't bother me quite as much as Soliva sessilis when it comes to visitors on my property, but this one despite growing darn near everywhere seems innocuous enough. Just impossible to control!

Are there any uses for it? Or is it just one of those plants that exists to exist?
 
Posts: 24
Location: USA N.FL
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Odds are that my post is of no help to you because it is 4 years late and I have no permaculture solutions.  However, in my defense I just learned of it as it was the principal weed growing through the weedcloth that a former tenant had placed over the yard trying to grow a lawn.  On removing it and the weedcloth, I noticed that its roots aggregated my compact clay soil better than any of the other weeds so I thought it might be valuable as a mulch plant, maybe even nitrogen fixing.
Alas, it is an insidious invasive plant mimicking Powerpuff (Mimosa strigillosa) which has the same type mimosa leaf and is a native nitrogen fixer and supposedly is a decent groundcover for my intended garden pathways.  I bought one plant to see what happens.  

The name of the weed is Chamberbitter, it is toxic although used medicinally in folk medicine.  That apparently is its only somewhat redeeming virtue.  It reproduces via seeds growing along the leaf stems so, if it has leaves, it reproduces; which shoots my plan to let it grow in my living pathways and mow it to use as mulch.  It also has other names which reference its ability to throw its seeds all over which I suspect includes my planting beds.  I don't know how far the seeds are thrown but I have a feeling I better start clearing the rest of the yard to try and control it.  Apparently even chemical control is problematic according to UF with a yearlong thick mulch as the only option other than hand pulling.  Maybe cardboard will be needed as my mulch is probably contaminated with it now.  
Since I will have to be in the garden anyway to handpull the nutgrass for the foreseeable future, I reckon I will try the handpull method for it at the same time.   Hope I can tell the difference between it and the powderpuff.  
BTW, I should have asked what luck you have had with it.  Permie folk often have solutions the Ag folk don't.  
 
Dale Nute
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Obviously I missed the earlier post which was referenced below your post titled Chanca piedra: kidney stone tree.  I primarily was referencing an article from UF which focuses mostly on getting rid of it or rather the inability to do so.  https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/weeds-and-invasive-plants/chamberbitter/
They mention two varieties including a taller one, Phyllanthus tenellus
The use for kidney stone treatment in the Chanca piedra post was interesting.  I think I would have to do more research before adopting it as a tea.
though.    
 
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