Lithocarpus corneus
| Lithocarpus corneus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 49' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Lithocarpus corneus
Propagation: The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame[1]. It needs to be protected from mice, squirrels and other seed eaters. The seed has a short viability but can be stored for a few months if kept cool and slightly damp - the salad compartment of a fridge is a good storage place. Germination takes place in the winter or early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. If the plants are 15cm or more tall by the summer they can be planted out into their permanent positions. Give them a good weed-excluding mulch and some protection from the cold for their first couple of years outdoors. If growth is not sufficient then grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. A very variable species with a wide range[2]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a deep fertile soil with medium drainage[1].
Range: E. Asia - southern China to Vietnam.
Habitat: Broad-leaved evergreen forests, frequent on sunny slopes and in dry places, coastal regions usually below 1000 metres[2].
Edibility: Seed - raw or cooked. The seed can also be ground into a meal and used as a thickener in soups or be added to cereal flours when making bread etc[3]. The seed probably contains bitter-tasting tannins. These can be removed by soaking the seed in water for a few days, changing the soak water regularly. The process can be speeded up by grinding the seed into a powder prior to soaking[K].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.