Herb latin name: Gleditsia japonica


Synonyms: Gleditsia horrida


Family: Leguminosae



Medicinal use of Gleditsia japonica:

Antitussive, astringent, expectorant, haemostatic, skin. Treats syphilitic skin diseases.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
20 m
(66 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Damp sandy soils

Edible parts of Gleditsia japonica:

Seed - cooked. The seed is roasted, dehusked, soaked until soft then boiled and eaten with sugar. The seed contains 22.4% protein and 2.8% fat. Young leaves - cooked. A famine food used when all else fails.

Other uses of the herb:

A soap is obtained from the pulp contained in the seedpods. It is obtained from the seed according to another report. Wood - strong, durable, coarse-grained.

Propagation of Gleditsia japonica:

Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in a greenhouse. The seed should have swollen up, in which case it can be sown, if it has not swollen then soak it for another 24 hours in warm water. If this does not work then file away some of the seed coat but be careful not to damage the embryo. Further soaking should then cause the seed to swell. One it has swollen, the seed should germinate within 2 - 4 weeks at 20°C. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.

Cultivation of the herb:

Damp sandy soils

Known hazards of Gleditsia japonica:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.