Practical
Plants

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rutaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
18 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

Seed - cooked. A pungent flavour, it is used as a condiment[5]. A red pepper substitute[5]. The fruit is rather small but is produced in clusters which makes harvesting easy[K]. Each fruit contains a single seed. Young leaves[2]. No more details are given.

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Leaves

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.

The resin contained in the bark, and especially in that of the roots, is antitussive, carminative, and powerfully stimulant[11][5].

Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Stimulant

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - S. China, Japan.
Habitat
Mountains, C. and S. Japan[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Stored seed may requires up to 3 months cold stratification, though scarification may also help[4]. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible. Germination should take place in late spring, though it might take another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Root cuttings, 3cm long, planted horizontally in pots in a greenhouse. Good percentage[10]. Suckers, removed in late winter and planted into their permanent positions[4].

Cultivation

Prefers a good deep well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or semi-shade[1][3][7]. A rather frost-tender species, it is not hardy in most of Britain[6][7] but succeeds outdoors in the mildest areas of the country[1]. Flowers are formed on the old wood[8]. 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

  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

    ↩

  4. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  8. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩

  9. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩

  11. 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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