Fagus japonica
Japanese Beech
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Fagus genus in the family Fagaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, large quantities of the seed of many species in this genus are thought to be toxic.
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Young leaves - raw. A very nice mild flavour, but the leaves quickly become tough so only the youngest should be used. New growth is usually produced for 2 periods of 3 weeks each year, one in spring and one in mid-summer. Edible seed - raw or cooked. Rich in oil. The raw seed should not be eaten in large quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. It can be dried and ground into a powder. An edible semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed[2][4]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.
- Product or use
- Coffee
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Canopy
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - Japan.
- Habitat
- Mountains in C. and S. Japan.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- permanent shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- 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 - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Protect the seed from mice. Germination takes place in the spring. 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. The seedlings are slow growing for the first few years and are very susceptible to damage by late frosts. The seed can also be sown in an outdoor seedbed in the autumn. The seedlings can be left in the open ground for three years before transplanting, but do best if put into their final positions as soon as possible and given some protection from spring frosts.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Thrives on a light or medium soil[3], doing well on chalk[1], but ill-adapted for heavy wet soils[1]. Young trees are very shade tolerant, but are subject to frost damage so are best grown in a woodland position which will protect them[5]. Although very cold hardy, this species requires hotter summers than are normally experienced in Britain so is not usually a success here and is very slow growing[5]. Trees have surface-feeding roots and also cast a dense shade. This greatly inhibits the growth of other plants and, especially where a number of the trees are growing together, the ground beneath them is often almost devoid of vegetation.
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
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5