Japanese false oak
Lithocarpus edulis

Family: Fagaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 15 m tall. The bark is grey-brown and smooth. The leaves are narrowly oval and 15 cm long by 5 cm wide. They gradually taper from the centre of the leaf to the base. They have a short blunt point at the tip. They do not have teeth. They are rigid and leathery. They are glossy pale green above and grey-green underneath. The male and female flowers are both very small. They are creamy white in upright catkins. The male flowers are at the tip and the female flowers at the base. The fruit is a pointed acorn. It is 2.5 cm long. It is about one third enclosed in a cup. They occur in clusters without stalks and take 2 years to ripen.

There are about 300 Lithocarpus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is native to Japan. It suits hardiness zones 7-9. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. Hobart Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Britain, Europe, Japan (country/location of origin), Tasmania

How it is used for food

The nuts are eaten.

Edible parts

Seeds, nuts

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

It is fast growing.

Its other names

Local names

Mateba shii, Stasuma jii, Mta jii, Tanbark oak

Synonyms

Pasana edulis;