Cephalotaxus harringtonia koreana
Korean Plum Yew
a perennial woody evergreen member of the Cephalotaxus genus in the family Cephalotaxaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Cephalotaxaceae
- Genus
- Cephalotaxus
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Woodiness
- woody
- Growth rate
- slow
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Spread
- 3 m
- Fertility
- Self sterile, Wind
- Flower type
- dioecious
- Pollinators
- Wind
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit. - raw or cooked. Fairly large, about 3cm long[7]. We have no information on this sub-species but assume that the fruit and seed will be edible[K]. The fruit does not always ripen in Britain, before full ripeness it has a disgusting resinous flavour that coats the mouth and refuses to go away for hours[K]. Seed - raw or cooked. Oily.
- Plant part
- Fruit
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Seed
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An oil obtained from the seed is used as an illuminant[2]. Very tolerant of pruning, this plant makes a very good hedge in shady positions[7].
- Product or use
- Oil
Ecology and functions
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Korea.
- Light
- partial sun
- Shade tolerance
- permanent 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 - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[5], it should then germinate in the following spring[K]. A hard seedcoat can delay germination, especially in if the seed is not sown as soon as it is ripe[81, K]. Stored seed should be cold-stratified and sown in a cold frame in the spring[7]. Germination can take 18 months or more. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter under cover. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Greenwood cuttings of terminal shoots, August/September in a humid cold frame[1][7]. Difficult[5].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a moist well-drained sandy soil but succeeds in most soils though it dislikes dry gravelly or chalky soils[1][7]. Prefers a position in semi-shade but tolerates full shade[4][8] and it also succeeds but does not usually thrive in full sun[7]. It grows very well in the mild wet coastal region of W. Scotland where it succeeds even in full sun[7]. Requires a humid sheltered site[7], strongly disliking very exposed positions[1]. A very slow growing plant[6], a 20 year old specimen at Kew was only 1.3 metres tall[K]. Plants are dioecious, but female plants sometimes produce fruits and infertile seeds in the absence of any male plants[4]. However, at least one male plant for every five females should be grown if you are growing the plants for fruit and seed. Plants have also been known to change sex[8]. Male cones are produced in the axils of the previous year's leaves, whilst female cones are borne at the base of branchlets[7]. This sub-species is more frost hardy than the type species, it succeeds as far north as S. Sweden and Nova Scotia if given a sheltered position[7].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X