Photinia villosa
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Photinia genus in the family Rosaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit[4]. No more details are given. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter[7], though occasionally forms with fruits up to 16mm are seen[9]. Leaves - cooked. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails[5].
- Plant part
- Fruit
- Plant part
- Leaves
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The wood is hard and heavy, suitable for making furniture and other small articles[9].
- Product or use
- Wood
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
- Habitat
- Woods in W. Hupeh[2]. Low mountains and hills all over Japan[10]. Slopes, forests, thickets, streamsides, roadsides and waste places at elevations 100 - 1600 metres[9].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral
- 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 in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Stored seed will probably require stratification and should be sown as early in the year as possible[11]. Germination is usually good[11]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Basal cuttings in a frame[7]. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[3][11]. They take about 2 months to root and should be overwintered in a greenhouse, planting out in late spring[11]. Fair to good percentage[11]. Cuttings of almost ripe side shoots, 7 - 12cm with a heel, October/November in a cold frame[11]. Lift the following autumn and plant in their permanent positions[11]. Layering in autumn. Partially sever the layer about 12 months later and lift in the following spring. High percentage[7].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a well-drained fertile soil in a sheltered position in sun or light shade[1][7]. Prefers a warm soil that is not too heavy or close[3]. Dislikes calcareous soils[3][6][7]. A very ornamental[1] and polymorphic species[10], there are a number of sub-species[7]. P. villosa sinica. Rehd.&Wils. is a taller growing form, to 8 metres, and has larger fruits than the type, up to 12mm in diameter[7]. Plants are susceptible to fireblight[7]. The flowers have a hawthorn-like scent[8]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[7].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.
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
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00
Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00