Lithocarpus glaber
| Lithocarpus glaber | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 23' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Lithocarpus glaber (common name: japanese oak)
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].
Plants are often confused with L. edulis[2]. The botanical name of this species is confusing - glaber means smooth but the young shoots of this species are hairy whilst the young shoots of L. edulis are smooth[2].
Range: E. Asia - E. China, Japan.
Habitat: Mixed mesophytic forests, frequent on sunny slopes; below 1500 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang[3]
Edibility: Seed - cooked[4]. 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.
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: Pasania glabra. (Thunb.)Oerst. Quercus glabra. Thunb.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.