Corylus chinensis
| Corylus chinensis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 79' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Corylus chinensis (common name: chinese hazel)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is harvested in autumn in a cold frame[1]. Germinates in late winter or spring. Stored seed should be pre-soaked in warm water for 48 hours and then given 2 weeks warm followed by 3 - 4 months cold stratification[1]. Germinates in 1 - 6 months at 20°c[1]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame or sheltered place outdoors for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer[K].
Layering in autumn. Easy, it takes about 6 months[2][3].
Division of suckers in early spring. Very easy, they can be planted out straight into their permanent positions.
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils, but is in general more productive of seeds when grown on soils of moderate fertility[4][3]. It does less well in rich heavy soils or poor ones[4][5]. Does well in a loamy soil[4]. Very suitable for an alkaline soil[4], but it dislikes very acid soils[6]. Plants are fairly wind tolerant[7][4].
Once established, this species is drought resistant[8]. It does not produce suckers[8].
A very ornamental tree[7], it is closely allied to C. colurna[4]. It has become very rare in China where it is considered to be at risk of extintion[9].
Members of this genus bear transplanting well and can be easily moved even when relatively large[4].
Range: E. Asia - China.
Habitat: Shady mixed forests[10]. Forests on moist mountain slopes at levations of 1200 - 3500 metres[9].
Edibility: Seed - raw or cooked[5][11][12][8]. Rich in oil. A shrub at Kew was 2 metres tall and 2 metres wide in July 1996 with a reasonable crop of immature fruit[K]. The seed ripens in mid to late autumn and will probably need to be protected from squirrels[K]. When kept in a cool place, and not shelled, the seed should store for at least 12 months[K].
An edible oil is obtained from the seed,
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: C. colurna chinensis.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Howes, Frank. Nuts. Faber, 1948.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.