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Picrasma quassioides
  • Nigaki

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Picrasma genus in the family Simaroubaceae.

Niche
  • Secondary canopy
    Secondary canopy
    There are no details available for this niche.
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • light shade
    Light shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 6
    Zone 6
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Picrasma quassioides has 0 edible uses listed
Picrasma quassioides has 0 material uses listed
Picrasma quassioides has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Fruit[1][2]. Small and red[3]. The fruit is a berry about 7mm in diameter[4].

Young buds (the report does not say if they are flower or leaf buds) are used to make a tea[2][5][3].

A bitter substance called quassin' is extracted from (the bark of?) the tree and can be used as a hop substitute in brewing beer[3].

Unknown part

Condiment
Tea

Fruit

Unknown use

Material uses

The bark is used as an insecticide[6][7]. Another report says that it is the wood that is used[8]. It is a substitute for the insecticide quassia, which is obtained from the wood of a tropical tree[8]. Quassia is a relatively safe organic insecticide that breaks down quickly and is of low toxicity to mammals. It has been used as a parasiticide to get rid of lice, fleas etc. Wood - hard, fine and close grained. Used for mosaic, utensils etc[6][7][9].

Unknown part

Insecticide
Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The wood contains a number of medicinal compounds and has been shown to be anthelmintic, antiamoebal, antiviral, bitter, hypotensive and stomachic[10]. It increases the flow of gastric juices[10]. It is used in Korea in the treatment of digestive problems, especially chronic dyspepsia[10].

A decoction of the stem bark is bitter, febrifuge and tonic[6][7][11][9][12][13][8][14].

The leaves have been used to treat itchy skins[8][14]. (Probably acting by killing body parasites[K].

Unknown part

Bitter
Febrifuge
Parasiticide
Tonic
Antiviral
Anthelmintic
Hypotensive
Stomachic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Secondary canopy

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification[15] and should be sown as early in the year as possible. 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 half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[4].

Root cuttings 4cm long in December. Plant them out horizontally in pots in a greenhouse[16].

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Picrasma quassioides. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Requires a fertile humus-rich moisture-retentive loam in a sunny position[4]. Plants also succeed when growing in semi-shade[17]. According to [4] this plant is only hardy to zone 10 (not tolerating frosts) but there are healthy trees in many parts of Britain including one 8.5 metres tall at Kew in 1981, one 8 metres tall seen growing in light woodland shade at Cambridge Botanical Gardens where it was bearing fruit in the autumn of 1996 and one 9 metres tall at Westonbirt in 1980[11, K].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Picrasma quassioides. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Picrasma quassioides.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Picrasma quassioides
Genus
Picrasma
Family
Simaroubaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5]
Medicinal uses
[10][6][7][11][9][12][13][8][14]
Material uses & Functions
[6][7][8][9]
Botanic
[18][19]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
6
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
light shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    Secondary canopy
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    deciduous
    Herbaceous or Woody
    woody
    Life Cycle
    perennial
    Growth Rate
    ?
    Mature Size
    10 x 7 meters
    Fertility
    ?
    Pollinators
    ?
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    hermaphrodite











    References

    1. ? 1.01.1 Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing (1976-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.12.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
    3. ? 3.03.13.23.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
    4. ? 4.04.14.24.34.4 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.1 Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre (1977-00-00)
    6. ? 6.06.16.26.36.4 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
    7. ? 7.07.17.27.37.4 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
    8. ? 8.08.18.28.38.48.5 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)
    9. ? 9.09.19.29.3 Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press (1945-00-00)
    10. ? 10.010.110.210.3 Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila ISBN 92 9061 120 0 (1998-00-00)
    11. ? 11.011.1 Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh (1972-00-00)
    12. ? 12.012.1 Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants. ()
    13. ? 13.013.1 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
    14. ? 14.014.114.2 Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-527-6 (2002-00-00)
    15. ? Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press ISBN 0942375009 (1987-00-00)
    16. ? Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)
    17. ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)
    18. ? Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PFAFimport-11
    19. ? Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution (1965-00-00)


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    Facts about "Picrasma quassioides"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familySimaroubaceae +
    Belongs to genusPicrasma +
    Has common nameNigaki +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partUnknown part + and Fruit +
    Has edible useSeasoning +, Unknown use + and Tea +
    Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
    Has hardiness zone6 +
    Has lifecycle typePerennial +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useInsecticide + and Wood +
    Has mature height10 +
    Has mature width7 +
    Has medicinal partUnknown part +
    Has medicinal useBitter +, Febrifuge +, Parasiticide +, Tonic +, Antiviral +, Anthelmintic +, Hypotensive + and Stomachic +
    Has search namepicrasma quassioides + and x +
    Has shade toleranceLight shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
    Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy namePicrasma quassioides +
    Has water requirementsmoderate +
    Inhabits ecosystem nicheSecondary canopy +
    Is deciduous or evergreenDeciduous +
    Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +