Platycarya strobilacea

Family: Juglandaceae

What it is like

Platycarya strobilacea is a deciduous Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 12 m (39ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from June to August. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 12

Where it is found

Thickets and woods from sea level to 1300 metres. Mixed forests on mountain slopes, sometimes on limestone, at elevations of 400 - 2,200 metres.

E. Asia - China, Korea.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Young leaves - cooked. A famine food, only used when all else fails.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 2

A black dye is obtained from the fruits. It is used for dyeing cloth. A black dye is obtained from the bark. It is used for dyeing nets. (It quite possibly contains tannin which will also help to preserve the nets.) The root is very fragrant when it is burnt. It is used in baths. The wood is a good fuel.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Incense: Aromatic plants that can be burnt to impart a pleasant smell, repel insects and disinfect closed areas.

How it is grown

Requires a deep moist humus-rich loam and a sunny sheltered position. Trees are hardy to about -12°c in Britain, but they are not usually a success in our climate, preferring a warm dry continental climate. A tree in Hampshire is growing and fruiting well. A tree at Kew flowered heavily in the hot summer of 1989.

Propagating it: The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first winter outdoors. Layering.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 6-9

Growth:

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

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Fortunaea chinensis. Petrophiloides strobilacea.