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Sophora japonica
  • Japanese Pagoda Tree

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Sophora genus in the family Leguminosae.

Niche
  • Canopy
    Canopy
    There are no details available for this niche.
Functions
  • Nitrogen fixer
    Nitrogen fixer
    There are no details available for this function.
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No 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
    Acid to Alkaline
    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
  • 5
    Zone 5
    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
Sophora japonica has 0 edible uses listed
Sophora japonica has 0 material uses listed
Sophora japonica has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Toxic parts

The plant contains cytisine, which resembles nicotine and is similarly toxic[14]. This remedy should not be prescribed for pregnant women[14].

Edible uses

Flowers

Cooked as a Tea, Eat

Leaves

Cooked as an Eat, Tea

Seed

Starch

Material uses

Seeds, Flowers

Dye

Stem

Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

This species is commonly used in Chinese medicine and is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[3]. This remedy should not be prescribed for pregnant women[14].

Whole, Seedpods

Abortifacient

Flowers

Antibacterial
Anticholesterolemic
Antiinflammatory
Antispasmodic
Hypotensive
Cooked as a Purgative
Cooked as a Styptic
Haemostatic
Cooked as a Procirculatory

Whole

Diuretic
Emollient
Febrifuge
Tonic

Seed

Emetic

Stems

Cooked as a Skin

Leaves

Laxative, Antiepileptic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Canopy

Ecological Functions

Nitrogen fixer

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[16]. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hours in hot (not boiling) water and sow in late winter in a greenhouse[17]. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into individual pots in the greenhouse, and grow them on for 2 years under protected conditions. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of their third year.

Cuttings of young shoots with a heel, July/August in a frame[11].

Air-layering[16].

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



Cultivation

Succeeds in a well-drained moderately fertile soil in full sun[16]. Tolerates poor soils, atmospheric pollution, heat and, once established, drought[16].

Hardy to about -25° when mature, but it can be damaged by severe frosts when it is young[16]. A very ornamental[18] and fast growing tree[16], it grows best in hot summers[19]. It grows best in the warmer areas of the country where the wood will be more readily ripened and better able to withstand winter cold[20]. Trees take 30 years to come into flower from seed.[16], but they do not often ripen their seed in Britain[11]. Cultivated in China for the rutin contained in its leaves and ovaries[3]. Plants should be container-grown and planted out whilst young, older plants do not transplant well[20]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[16].

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[16].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Sophora japonica. 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 Sophora japonica.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Sophora japonica
Genus
Sophora
Family
Leguminosae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][4][5][3]
Medicinal uses
[3][11][12][5][9][13][14][15]
Material uses & Functions
[6][7][8][9][10][5]
Botanic
[11][8][16]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Nitrogen fixer
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
5
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
well drained
Environmental Tolerances
  • Drought
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
Canopy
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
deciduous
Herbaceous or Woody
woody
Life Cycle
perennial
Growth Rate
vigorous
Mature Size
20 x 20
Fertility
?
Pollinators
?
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type
hermaphrodite











References

  1. ? 1.01.11.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (32202/01/01)
  2. ? 2.02.12.22.32.42.5 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)
  3. ? 3.003.013.023.033.043.053.063.073.083.093.103.113.123.133.143.153.163.173.183.193.203.21 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (32202/01/01)
  4. ? 4.04.1 Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre (32202/01/01)
  5. ? 5.005.015.025.035.045.055.065.075.085.095.105.115.125.135.14 Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants. ()
  6. ? 6.06.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (32202/01/01)
  7. ? 7.07.1 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (32202/01/01)
  8. ? 8.08.18.28.3 Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae. ()
  9. ? 9.009.019.029.039.049.059.069.079.089.099.109.119.12 Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre ()
  10. ? 10.010.1 Wilson. E. H. and Trollope. M. N. Corean Flora. Royal Asiatic Society (32202/01/01)
  11. ? 11.0011.0111.0211.0311.0411.0511.0611.0711.0811.0911.1011.1111.1211.13 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (32202/01/01)
  12. ? 12.0012.0112.0212.0312.0412.0512.0612.0712.0812.0912.10 ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X ()
  13. ? 13.013.113.213.313.413.513.6 Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles (32202/01/01)
  14. ? 14.0014.0114.0214.0314.0414.0514.0614.0714.0814.0914.1014.1114.12 Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. ISBN 0-7513-020-31 (32202/01/01)
  15. ? 15.015.115.215.315.415.515.6 Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila ISBN 92 9061 120 0 (32202/01/01)
  16. ? 16.016.116.216.316.416.516.616.716.816.9 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)
  17. ? Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (32202/01/01)
  18. ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (32202/01/01)
  19. ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (32202/01/01)
  20. ? 20.020.1 Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins ISBN 0-00-219220-0 (32202/01/01)




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Facts about "Sophora japonica"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyLeguminosae +
Belongs to genusSophora +
Functions asNitrogen fixer +
Has common nameJapanese Pagoda Tree +
Has drought toleranceTolerant +
Has edible partFlowers +, Leaves + and Unknown part +
Has edible useUnknown use +, Rutin + and Tea +
Has environmental toleranceDrought +
Has fertility typeInsects +
Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
Has growth rateVigorous +
Has hardiness zone5 +
Has lifecycle typePerennial +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useDye + and Wood +
Has mature height20 +
Has mature width20 +
Has medicinal partUnknown part +
Has medicinal useAbortifacient +, Antibacterial +, Anticholesterolemic +, Antiinflammatory +, Antispasmodic +, Diuretic +, Emetic +, Emollient +, Febrifuge +, Hypotensive +, Purgative +, Skin +, Styptic + and Tonic +
Has search namesophora japonica + and x +
Has shade toleranceNo shade +
Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
Has soil water retention preferenceWell drained +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomy nameSophora japonica +
Has water requirementsmoderate +
Inhabits ecosystem nicheCanopy +
Is deciduous or evergreenDeciduous +
Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +