Practical
Plants

Rhus succedanea

Wax Tree

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Rhus genus in the family Anacardiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Rhus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
9 m
Spread
9 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Bees
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Bees

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.

This plant contains toxic substances which can cause severe irritation to some people. The fresh sap causes skin blisters[4]. The leaves contain the ubiquitous carcinogen shikimic acid[12].

Edible uses

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

Fruit[2]. The acid pulp is eaten[6][14]. The edible fruit contains ellagic acid[12]. These reports need to be treated with some caution due to the general toxicity of the species[K].

Product or use
Drink
Plant part
Fruit

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.

Antidote, antivinous, cholagogue, febrifuge, ophthalmic. Used as a wash to counteract varnish poisoning[10]. Use with extreme caution, see notes above on toxicity. The fruit is used in the treatment of phthisis[13]. A wax from the fruits is used in ointments[12]. An ethanolic extract of the leaves exhibits anticancer and antiviral activities[12].

Product or use
Antidote
Product or use
Antivinous
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Ophthalmic

Material uses

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

The leaves contain about 20% tannin[12]. They can be collected as they fall in the autumn and used as a brown dye or as a mordant[7]. The sap is tapped and used as a lacquer[17][18][5][6][8]. It is much used in Japanese art and needs to be kept in a cool humid place for it to dry properly. The Japanese traditionally kept their paintings in a damp cave until the lacquer had dried. A yellow dye is obtained from the wood[10]. A wax obtained from the fruit is used to make candles, floor wax, varnish etc[1][15][3][16][18][6][8]. The fruit contains about 17% wax[9]. The fatty acid composition of the wax is 77% palmitic, 5% stearic and arachidic, 6% dibasic, 12% oleic and a trace of linoleic[12]. The seed oil contains 25% glycerides of palmitic, 47% oleic and 28% linoleic[12].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Lacquer
Product or use
Mordant
Product or use
Oil
Product or use
Varnish
Product or use
Wax

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
Habitat
Forests and shrubberies to 2400 metres in the Himalayas[16].
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
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. Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in hot water (starting at a temperature of 80 - 90c and allowing it to cool) prior to sowing in order to leach out any germination inhibitors[11]. The stored seed also needs hot water treatment and can be sown in early spring in a cold frame[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. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[11]. Root cuttings 4cm long taken in December and potted up vertically in a greenhouse. Good percentage[19][11]. Suckers in late autumn to winter[11].

Cultivation

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

Succeeds in a well-drained fertile soil in full sun[3][11]. Plants are not very hardy in Britain, though they succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country[1][3]. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. Plants have brittle branches and these can be broken off in strong winds[11]. Plants are also susceptible to coral spot fungus[3]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[11]. This species is frequently cultivated in Japan for its sap and the wax obtained from its fruit[3]. Many of the species in this genus, including this one, are highly toxic and can also cause severe irritation to the skin of some people, whilst other species are not poisonous. It is relatively simple to distinguish which is which, the poisonous species have axillary panicles and smooth fruits whilst non-poisonous species have compound terminal panicles and fruits covered with acid crimson hairs[1][15]. The toxic species are sometimes separated into their own genus, Toxicodendron, by some botanists[11]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Singh. Dr. G. and Kachroo. Prof. Dr. P. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1976-00-00

    ↩

  5. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

    ↩

  6. Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press 1945-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

    ↩

  8. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  9. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

  12. 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↩7

  13. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  14. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩

  15. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  16. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  17. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

  18. Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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