Sweet Leaf, Common sweetleaf
Symplocos tinctoria
Family: Symplocaceae
What it is like
Symplocos tinctoria is an evergreen Shrub growing to 8 m (26ft 3in). It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 8
Where it is found
Woods, swamps and bottomlands. Rich moist soils, often in the shade of dense forests.
South-eastern N. America - Florida to Arkansas, north to Delaware.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Leaves - raw. Thick and downy, they have a pleasant sweet smell and taste. Chewed for their pleasantly sweet, slightly acid flavour that is refreshing and helps to ease thirst.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The bitter, aromatic roots have been used as a tonic. A decoction of the scraped roots has been used in the treatment of fevers.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating: 2
A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves, the bark and the fruits. We have no specific information for this species but many species in this genus contain alum and can be used as mordants when dyeing. Wood - soft, weak, light, close grained, easily worked. It weighs 33lb per cubic foot. Used for turnery.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Mordant: Used for making a dye more permanent, it also affects the colour of the dye.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Easily grown in any fertile soil. Prefers a sunny position in a well-drained fertile acid to neutral soil. Plants are often found growing in dense shade in the wild. This species is not very hardy in Britain, it only succeeds outdoors in a sheltered position in the warmest counties of the country. Forms of this species that are hardy in Britain might exist in the north of the plants range or at higher elevations. This species is not a true evergreen, but in climates with mild winters the previous years leaves are not lost until after the new leaves come into growth. Self-sterile, it needs cross-pollination with a different plant in the same species if seed and fruit are to be produced. The flowers are sweetly perfumed. The leaves also have a sweet smell. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed requires stratification and is best sown in a cold frame in late winter, it can take 12 months to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in individual pots in a cold frame. Roots are formed in about 4 weeks. Good percentage.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Secondary; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist