Gleditsia japonica

Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae

What it is like

Gleditsia japonica is a deciduous Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 12 m (39ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Height (m): 20

Where it is found

Damp sandy soils

E. Asia - Japan.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Seed - cooked. The seed is roasted, dehusked, soaked until soft then boiled and eaten with sugar. The seed contains 22.4% protein and 2.8% fat. Young leaves - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 1

Antitussive, astringent, expectorant, haemostatic, skin. Treats syphilitic skin diseases.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.

Haemostatic: Controls internal bleeding.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

VD: Used in the treatment of venereal disease

Other

Rating: 3

A soap is obtained from the pulp contained in the seedpods. It is obtained from the seed according to another report. Wood - strong, durable, coarse-grained.

Soap: Plants used directly as a soap substitute.

Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil

How it is grown

Easily grown in a loamy soil, requiring a sunny position. Succeeds in most soils. Tolerates drought once established and atmospheric pollution. A rather tender plant, especially when young, it is seen at its best in southern Britain. Older trees, however, are completely hardy in Britain. Trees at Kew produced lots of pods and fertile seeds in the hot summer of 1989, they also fruited well in the cool summer of 1993 and also in 1994, 95 and 96. Trees are cultivated for their seedpods in Japan. Trees have a light canopy, they come into leaf late in the spring and drop their leaves in early autumn making them an excellent canopy tree for a woodland garden. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Propagating it: Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in a greenhouse. The seed should have swollen up, in which case it can be sown, if it has not swollen then soak it for another 24 hours in warm water. If this does not work then file away some of the seed coat but be careful not to damage the embryo. Further soaking should then cause the seed to swell. One it has swollen, the seed should germinate within 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 5-9

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

G. horrida. non Salisb.