Herb: Katsura Tree


Latin name: Cercidiphyllum japonicum


Family: Cercidiphyllaceae (Katsura-tree Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
30 m
(98 feet)

Flowering:
April


Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of Katsura Tree:

Grows in woodlands in Japan but in China it is mainly found in open situations in rich moist soils at 1600 - 2800 metres.

Other uses of the herb:

Wood - light, soft, not strong, fine grained. It is a highly valued timber and is used for furniture, the interior finishes of buildings, boxes etc.

Propagation of Katsura Tree:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in a greenhouse in late winter. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Layering in autumn. Takes 12 months. High percentage. Basal cuttings, 15cm long, taken from May to July. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Grows in woodlands in Japan but in China it is mainly found in open situations in rich moist soils at 1600 - 2800 metres.

Medicinal use of Katsura Tree:

None known

Known hazards of Cercidiphyllum japonicum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.