Rhamnus virgatus
| Rhamnus virgatus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 7' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Rhamnus virgatus
Propagation: Seed - best sown in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed will require 1 - 2 months cold stratification and should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame or outdoor seedbed. Germination is usually good, at least 80% by late spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame.
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame.
Layering in early spring.
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[1].
Often bears the aecidospore stage of 'crown rust' of oats[2][3].
The species in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas.
Habitat: Forest undergrowth to 2700 metres[3][5]. Open places along the margins of forests at elevations of 1000 - 3000 metres in Nepal[6].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails[7].
A tea is made from the leaves[7].
Medicinal: The fruit is bitter, emetic and purgative[3][5][8][6]. It is used in the treatment of affections of the spleen[8].
Usage: Wood - very hard, close grained. Used only for fuel[3][5].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no specific mention of toxicity has been found for this species, there is the suggestion that some members of this genus could be mildly poisonous[9].
Also Known As: R. hirsutus.
Links
References
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Gupta, Basant. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press, 1945.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.