Practical
Plants

Distylium racemosum

Isu Tree

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Distylium genus in the family Hamamelidaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
2 m
Spread
3 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Material uses

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

The ashes of the wood are used in glazing porcelain[9][10]. Wood - hard, fine-grained, dark brown. A very valuable wood, it is used for small articles, musical instruments etc[2][9][10].

Product or use
Porcelain
Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat
Evergreen oak forests. Forests at elevations of 1000 - 1300 metres in Fujian, Hainan, Taiwan and Zhejiang Provinces of China[8].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
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 - can be sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed may require 2 - 3 months cold stratification and is best sown as soon as possible in a cold frame[5]. Germination takes 2 - 3 months or more at 15°c[5]. 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[4]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth in a frame[3]. Layering in September/October of current years growth if possible. If this is not available then use the previous years growth. Takes 18 months. Good percentage[11].

Cultivation

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

Prefers a sandy soil[1]. A lime tolerant plant, but it prefers a neutral to acid moist humus-rich soil[4][6]. It prefers to grow under a light woodland canopy[4][7]. Plants are hardy at Kew[2] but they grow better in the milder areas of Britain[1]. They rarely exceed 2 metres in height in cultivation and are slow growing[2]. The dormant plant is fairly cold-tolerant, but the young growth in spring is subject to damage by late frosts[4].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

  4. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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