Practical
Plants

Pinckneya pubens

Bitter Bark

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Pinckneya genus in the family Rubiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rubiaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
6 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

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.

The bark is antiperiodic and tonic[4][6]. It has been used in the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria[6].

Product or use
Antiperiodic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

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

Wood - close-grained, soft, weak[6].

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America - W. Florida to S. Carolina.
Habitat
Sandy soils by streams or in swamps on the coastal plain[5][3].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in early spring in a greenhouse. 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. Cuttings of mature wood of the current years growth in the autumn. Keep cool but frost-free over the winter[2].

Cultivation

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

Requires a rich moist soil and protection from full sun, especially when young[1]. This species is not very hardy in Britain, but it succeeds outdoors in the milder areas of the country if grown against a south-facing wall[1].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  3. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩

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

    ↩

  5. Small. Manual of the Southeastern Flora.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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