Practical
Plants

Gleditsia sinensis

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Gleditsia genus in the family Leguminosae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
12 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

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.

The plant contains potentially toxic compounds[12].

Edible uses

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

The seed is roasted, dehusked, soaked until soft then boiled and eaten with sugar[9]. Young leaves - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails[7].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

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.

A decoction of the leaves is used for washing sores[11], including syphilitic skin diseases[5]. The stem bark is anthelmintic and febrifuge[11]. The fruit is antibacterial, antifungal, antitussive, astringent, emetic, expectorant, haemostatic and stimulant[5][6][8][11]. It is used in the treatment of bronchial asthma with sticky phlegm, epilepsy and apoplexy with loss of consciousness[6]. Overdosage can cause poisoning of the entire body, haemolysis of the blood[6]. The seed is emetic, expectorant, decongestant and purgative[4][11]. They have been used in the treatment of cancer of the rectum[11]. The root bark is anthelmintic and antifebrile[11]. The thorns on the plant are antipruritic[6]. They are used in the treatment of acute purulent inflammation, dermatopathies and tonsillitis[6]. They should not be used by pregnant women[6]. The plant has been used in the treatment of lockjaw, stroke, acute numbness of the throat and epilepsy, but the report does not make clear whether the seed or the thorns of the plant are used[4]

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antifungal
Product or use
Antipruritic
Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
VD

Material uses

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

The pod is used as a soap substitute[13][14]. The seed is used[8]. Tannin is obtained from the seedpod[14]. Wood - strong, durable, coarse-grained[16]. Used for general construction[13][14].

Product or use
Soap
Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China.
Habitat
Dry valleys in W. China, 1000 - 1600 metres[2]. Along valley streams or on level land[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in a greenhouse[15]. The seed should have swollen up, in which case it can be sown, if it has not swollen then soak it for another 24 hours in warm water. If this does not work then file away some of the seed coat but be careful not to damage the embryo[15]. Further soaking should then cause the seed to swell. One it has swollen, the seed should germinate within 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.

Cultivation

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

Easily grown in a loamy soil, requiring a sunny position[3]. Succeeds in most soils[10]. Tolerates drought once established[1] and atmospheric pollution[10]. Rather tender when young, it grows best in S. Britain[3]. A tree at Cambridge Botanical Gardens was 13 metres tall in 1985[3]. Trees have a light canopy, they come into leaf late in the spring and drop their leaves in early autumn[10] making them an excellent top storey tree in a woodland garden. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[10]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[10].

References

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

    ↩

  2. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩1↩2

  6. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩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↩5↩6

  12. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2

  16. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩

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