Practical
Plants

Docynia delavayi

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Docynia genus in the family Rosaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Docynia
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
10 m
Spread
10 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

Fruit - raw, cooked or used in preserves[4]. When ripe it is like an apple[5]. The fruit is about 4cm in diameter[6].

Plant part
Fruit

Material uses

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

The fruits of this plant are used to promote the ripening of persimmons, Diospyros kaki. The fruits of each species are placed in alternate layers in a large container, they are then covered with rice husks and in 10 hours the persimmons are ready for eating[8][2][5].

Product or use
Fruit ripening

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China.
Habitat
Riversides in valleys, mixed forests and mountainous areas at elevations of 1000 - 3000 metres in W Guizhou, W Sichuan and NW Yunnan Provinces[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
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 the autumn in a cold frame[6]. 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.

Cultivation

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

Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny position[6]. This species is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain[1], it succeeds outdoors at Wisley just west of London[3]. The genus is closely related to the quince, Cydonia oblonga[6].

References

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

    ↩

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

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

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

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩

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

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