Herb latin name: Castanopsis sclerophylla


Family: Fagaceae (Beech Family)



Medicinal use of Castanopsis sclerophylla:

The leaves are used to arrest puerperal haemorrhage and are also applied to chronic ulcers. The seed is used in the treatment of diarrhoea.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of the herb:

Woods, at an altitude of 600 - 1500 metres in W. Hupeh. Broad-leaved evergreen forests at elevations of 200 - 1000 metres.

Edible parts of Castanopsis sclerophylla:

Seed - raw. Small but sweet, it tastes like the N. American chinquapin, Castanea pumila. The seed can be crushed and converted into a paste known as "tou-fu", it resembles bean curd. (This probably means that the crushed seed is also fermented).

Propagation of the herb:

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 Castanopsis sclerophylla:

Woods, at an altitude of 600 - 1500 metres in W. Hupeh. Broad-leaved evergreen forests at elevations of 200 - 1000 metres.

Known hazards of Castanopsis sclerophylla:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.