Buxus wallichiana
| Buxus wallichiana | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 7' |
| Width: | 7' |
| Speed: | Slow |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Buxus wallichiana
Propagation: Seed - stratification is not necessary but can lead to more regular germination[1]. The seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[2]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c but stored seed can take longer[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of short side shoots with a heel, September in a frame[3]. Difficult[4][3].
Nodal cuttings in spring in a frame. Difficult[3].
Cultivation: Succeeds in almost any soil that is well-drained[5][3]. Tolerates light shade and chalky soils[6][3]. Tolerates a pH range from 5.5 to 7.4[3].
This species is perfectly hardy in much of Britain[5], tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c[7], but it is very slow growing[4].
The foliage is pungently scented, especially when wet[8].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas from Afghanistan to C. Nepal.
Habitat: Steep shady rocky ravines, often gregarious, 1800 - 2700 metres[9][7].
Medicinal: The wood is diaphoretic[10].
The leaves are bitter, diaphoretic and purgative[10]. They have proved useful in the treatment of rheumatism and syphilis[10].
The bark is febrifuge[10].
Usage: Plants can be grown as a hedge, they are very tolerant of pruning but are slow growing[11].
Wood - hard, fine grained, durable. Used for engraving, fine carving, mathematical instruments etc. It is at least equal in quality to B. sempervirens[5][9][12][13][14].
Pollinators: Bees, flies
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Links
References
- ↑ Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bird, R. Growing from Seed Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan, 1989.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ Gupta, Basant. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press, 1945.