Lithocarpus edulis
| Lithocarpus edulis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 30' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Lithocarpus edulis
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: Prefers a deep fertile soil with medium drainage[1].
This species is only hardy in the southern half of England[2]. A tree growing in deep shade did not produce seed at Kew in the very hot summer of 1989[K]. A tree at Hilliers produced lots of seed in 1994, but they were not fertile and did not contain endosperm[K].
Plants are often confused with L. glabra[3].
Range: E. Asia - C. and S. Japan.
Edibility: Seed - raw or cooked[4][5][6]. Not of a good taste[7]. The poor taste is probably due, at least in part, to the presence of 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]. The seed is an acorn about 25mm long and 8mm wide[K].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: Pasania edulis. Quercus edulis. Q. glabra. non Thunb. Q. laevigata. non Bl.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica 15th edition. 1982.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.