Practical
Plants

Cudrania tricuspidata

Silkworm Thorn

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Cudrania genus in the family Moraceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Moraceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
6 m
Spread
6 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

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

Fruit - fresh or preserved[1][12][15]. Somewhat like a mulberry[8]. The firm fruit is relatively tasteless, when soft-ripe it is sub-acid to sweet and some forms can be quite delicious[14][2][3][5][8]. It contains lots of large seeds[5]. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter[10]. Leaves - a famine food[7].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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

An infusion of the wood is used to treat sore or weak eyes[6][11]. The inner bark and the wood are used in the treatment of malaria, debility and menorrhagia[6][11]. The root is galactogogue and is also used in the treatment of amenorrhoea[11]. The plant is used to eliminate blood stasis and stimulate the circulation in cancer of the alimentary system, blood and lungs[11].

Product or use
Antiperiodic
Product or use
Galactogogue
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Women's complaints

Material uses

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

A yellow dye is obtained from the wood[6]. The bark fibers are used for making paper[13]. Wood - finely grained. Used for utensils[6].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Wood
Product or use
Fibre

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan and Korea.
Habitat
Rocky slopes and roadsides in W. China[3]. Sunny forest margins and mountain slopes at elevations of 500 - 2200 metres[13].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
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[9]. Sow stored seed in early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[188, K]. Cuttings of mature wood, November in a sandy soil in a frame[1].

Cultivation

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

Prefers a warm well-drained fertile loam[1][9]. Requires a sunny position[9]. A very hardy plant[1]. The leaves are a food source for silk-worms[1][4]. Probably only the male tree is in cultivation in Britain, though at least one selected female form is being grown in N. America[8]. Both male and female plants normally need to be grown if fruit or seed is required but male trees occasionally produce a few small fruits[8].

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

    ↩

  3. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  5. Wilson. E. H. and Trollope. M. N. Corean Flora. Royal Asiatic Society 1918-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

  11. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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