Skimmia laureola
| Skimmia laureola | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 5' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Early Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Skimmia laureola
Propagation: Seed - can be sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[K]. It also succeeds when sown in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a shady position in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
If there is sufficient seed then it can be sown can be in an outdoor seedbed in early spring[1]. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for a couple of years before planting them out in late autumn or early spring.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a cold frame[2].
Cuttings of nearly mature side shoots, 7 - 10cm with a heel, September in a cold frame. Slow to root, they should be left for 18 months before moving to their permanent positions. Good percentage[3].
Layering in autumn. Takes 18 months. Good to high percentage[3].
Cultivation: Succeeds in a well-drained open loam or in a peaty soil in a sunny position[4]. Probably flowers well in the shade[2]. Plants are very tolerant of atmospheric pollution, being unharmed by deposits of soot or a sulphur-laden atmosphere[5].
This species is not very frost-hardy and so is rather tender in much of Britain[4].
The flowers are sweetly scented[6]. The small yellow flowers are oppressively scented, giving a somewhat unpleasant smell near to, though agreeable at a distance[5]. The bruised leaves are strongly aromatic[5].
The plant is superficially similar to Daphne cannabina and is often mistaken for that species[7].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: E. Asia - N.W. Himalayas to N. China.
Habitat: An undershrub in rocky places in oak and fir forests, 2400 - 3600 metres from C. Nepal to N. China[8][9][6].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked. Used as a condiment[10]. The strongly aromatic leaves are used in curries or as a flavouring for other foods[9][11][12].
Medicinal: The leaves are used in the treatment of smallpox[13]. The smoke produced by burning them is said to purify the air[13].
Usage: An essential oil in the leaves is used in scenting soap[14][13][10]. The dried leaves are used as an incense[14][15][7]. The fresh leaves are used to make garlands for weddings[7].
Plants can be grown as a ground cover when planted about 1 metre apart each way[16].
Wod - used to make handles of small farming implements such as hoes and axes[10].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Pollution: Tolerates environmental pollution.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Dioecious
Known Hazards: A poisonous alkaloid called 'skimmianin' is found in all parts of the related S. japonica, it is probably also present in this species[7].
Also Known As: S. melanocarpa. Reh.&Wils. Limonia laureola.
Links
References
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Coventry, B. Wild Flowers of Kashmir. Raithby, Lawrence and Co, 1923.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Singh, Gurcharan and Premnath Kachroo. Forest Flora of Srinagar. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1976.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.