Herb latin name: Castanopsis orthacantha


Family: Fagaceae (Beech Family)



Edible parts of Castanopsis orthacantha:

Seed - raw or cooked. The seed, which is up to 15mm in diameter, takes about 18 months to ripen.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
20 m
(66 feet)

Flowering:
May to
June

Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of the herb:

Mixed and broad-leaved evergreen forests, 1500-3200 metres in W Guizhou, SW Sichuan, Yunnan.

Propagation of Castanopsis orthacantha:

Seed - requires a period of cold stratification and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed has a short viability and should not be allowed to dry out. It can be stored for a few months if kept cool and moist (putting it in a plastic bag that is placed in the salad compartment of a fridge works well). Stored seed should be soaked in warm water for 24 - 48 hours prior to sowing. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 15°C. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant them out in mid summer if possible, otherwise grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring. Give the young plants some protection from cold for their first few winters outdoors.

Cultivation of the herb:

Mixed and broad-leaved evergreen forests, 1500-3200 metres in W Guizhou, SW Sichuan, Yunnan.

Medicinal use of Castanopsis orthacantha:

None known

Known hazards of Castanopsis orthacantha:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.