Ligustrum obtusifolium
| Ligustrum obtusifolium | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 10' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Ligustrum obtusifolium
Propagation: The seed does not require any pre-treatment and can be sown in the spring in a cold frame[1]. 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, 5 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Very easy[2].
Cuttings of mature wood, 20 - 30cm in a sheltered outdoor bed in November/December. High percentage[2].
Cultivation: A very tolerant and easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil that is not impoverished or water-logged[3][4]. Grows well in heavy clay soils.
A very ornamental plant[5]. Polymorphic[6].
Prefers hotter summers than are normally experienced in Britain[3].
Closely related to L. ovalifolium[7].
This species is notably susceptible to honey fungus[7].
Range: E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat: Thin woods and thickets in lowland and hills all over Japan[6]. Hills, gullies and woods at elevations of 100 - 600 metres in China[8].
Edibility: The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[9][10].
Leaves are a tea substitute[10].
Usage: A commercial insect wax is produced on the branches as a result of eggs being laid by insects[3]. Another report says that the wax is produced by the plant due to the stimulation of the feeding insects[9]. Yet another report says that the wax is produced by the insects[11]. It is used for candles and as a polish for earthenware pots, book edges etc[11].
The sub-species L. obtusifolium regelianum and its cultivar 'Dart's Perfection' make a good carpeting ground cover about 1.2 metres tall. They should be spaced about 2.5 metres apart each way[12].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, at least one member of this genus is recorded as being mildly toxic and it is quite possible that other members of the genus also contain toxins[13].
Also Known As: L. ibota. Sieb.
Links
References
- ↑ Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ohwi, Jisaburo. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, 1965.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.