Practical
Plants

Celtis bungeana

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Ulmaceae
Genus
Celtis
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
15 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

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

The plant is a tea substitute[2][6]. This probably refers to the leaves[K]. Leaves are a savoury addition to rice[2][6]. Fruit - raw[2][6].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves
Product or use
Tea

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Korea.
Habitat
Roadsides, thickets and banks of streams to 1600 metres[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[7]. Stored seed is best given 2 - 3 months cold stratification and then sown February/March in a greenhouse[9][7]. Germination rates are usually good, though the stored seed might take 12 months or more to germinate. The seed can be stored for up to 5 years[5]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. The leaves of seedlings often have a lot of white patches without chlorophyll, this is normal and older plants produce normal green leaves. Grow the seedlings on in a cold frame for their first winter, and plant them out in the following late spring or early summer[K]. Give them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in any reasonably good soil, preferring a good fertile well-drained loamy soil[1][4][7]. Succeeds on dry gravels and on sandy soils[7]. Established plants are very drought resistant[8][7]. Trees prefer hotter summers and more sunlight than are normally experienced in Britain, they often do not fully ripen their wood when growing in this country and they are then very subject to die-back in winter[1][4][7]. An 8 year old plant at Kew in 1989 was 3m tall and very healthy with no sign of die-back[K]. Trees can be very long-lived, perhaps to 1000 years[7]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  5. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  8. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩

  9. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

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