Practical
Plants

Ternstroemia japonica

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Ternstroemia genus in the family Theaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Theaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
3.5 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 root and the stem bark are astringent[4]. They are used in the treatment of dysentery[5]. The leaves are used in the treatment of malaria[4].

Product or use
Astringent

Material uses

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

Used as a screening or hedging plant[3].

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan and the Himalayas where it grows at elevations of 1,200 - 1,500 metres.
Habitat
Forests and thickets at elevations of 200 - 2800 metres in southern and western China[6].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
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 as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[3]. Sow stored seed in a greenhouse in early spring[2]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle. Grow the young plants on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half ripe wood, August in a frame[3].

Cultivation

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

Requires a lime-free soil and a sheltered position[1]. Succeeds in a fertile humus-rich well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in part shade[3]. Succeeds in north-facing sites[3]. Generally considered to be a tender shrub, but it tolerates temperatures down to about -10°c if the wood has been well-ripened[3] and succeeds outdoors in the mildest maritime areas of Britain[1][3]. Any pruning is best carried out in spring[2].

References

  1. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

    ↩1↩2

  2. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

  3. 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

  4. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  5. 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

    ↩

  6. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩

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