Practical
Plants

Aphananthe aspera

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Aphananthe genus in the family Ulmaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ulmaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
20 m
Flower type
monoecious

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit[1][3]. The fruit is about 6 - 8mm in diameter[4].

Plant part
Fruit

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves, gathered in autumn, are used as a sandpaper on wood[6][8]. The fibre from the bark is used for manufacturing ropes and staple rayon[5]. The wood is fine and strong[5].

Product or use
Paper
Product or use
Sandpaper
Product or use
Fibre
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat
Lowlands and hills, C. and S. Japan[7]. Hills, valleys, stream sides and slopes at elevations of 100 - 600 metres (500 - 1000 metres in E and N China)[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - it probably requires 2 - 3 months stratification. It is best to sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, otherwise sow as soon as possible in the year. Remove any pulp from the seed before sowing it[4]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter before planting them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils, including dry gravels, but prefers a deep fertile soil[4]. Plants are frost tender when young but they are able to regrow from the base if cut back[2]. A tree growing outdoors at Kew Botanical Gardens has reached a height of 8 metres[2].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  7. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

  8. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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