Epigaea asiatica
a perennial woody evergreen member of the Epigaea genus in the family Ericaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit[11][1][4]. No more details are given. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter[7].
- Plant part
- Fruit
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A ground cover plant for a shady position[6], forming a carpet of growth[8]. Plants should be spaced about 25cm apart each way[8]. This species is probably not very worthwhile for ground cover in Britain because of its difficulty to cultivate[8].
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Soil surface
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - C. and N. Japan.
- Light
- partial sun
- Shade tolerance
- permanent shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- very acid, acid, neutral
- 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 shady position in a cold frame[7]. Another report says that the seed requires no pre-treatment and can be sown in late winter in a cold frame[3]. Surface sow and place the pot in light shade, do not allow it to dry out[3]. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 5 weeks[3]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, pot up the seedlings into individual pots. Be very careful since they strongly resent root disturbance. Grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse and plant them out in their permanent positions in the late spring of their second years growth. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[7].Take the cutting with a part of the previous year's growth[3]. (This report is unclear as to whether it means a heel of older wood or just a small section of older wood[K]) Plants self-layer and can be divided in the spring but this must be done with great care since they deeply resent root disturbance[7].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires an open lime-free humus-rich soil and shade from direct sunlight[2][7], succeeding also in deep shade[5]. Grows well in the shade of rhododendrons and other calcifuge shrubs[9]. A difficult plant to grow in cultivation[7], though it is easier than E. repens[5]. The flower buds require a period of chilling to about 2°c before they will open[7]. The flowers are sweetly scented[9]. They are produced in terminal racemes on the previous year's shoots[10].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
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
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Flora of Japan www.foj.info
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00