Herb latin name: Ligustrum obtusifolium


Synonyms: Ligustrum ibota


Family: Oleaceae (Olive Family)



Edible parts of Ligustrum obtusifolium:

The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. Leaves are a tea substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
3 m
(9 3/4 foot)

Flowering:
July

Habitat of the herb:

Thin woods and thickets in lowland and hills all over Japan. Hills, gullies and woods at elevations of 100 - 600 metres in China.

Other uses of Ligustrum obtusifolium:

A commercial insect wax is produced on the branches as a result of eggs being laid by insects. Another report says that the wax is produced by the plant due to the stimulation of the feeding insects. Yet another report says that the wax is produced by the insects. It is used for candles and as a polish for earthenware pots, book edges etc. The sub-species L. obtusifolium regelianum and its cultivar "Dart's Perfection" make a good carpeting ground cover about 1.2 metres tall. They should be spaced about 2.5 metres apart each way.

Propagation of the herb:

The seed does not require any pre-treatment and can be sown in the spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the 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. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Very easy. Cuttings of mature wood, 20 - 30cm in a sheltered outdoor bed in November/December. High percentage.

Cultivation of Ligustrum obtusifolium:

Thin woods and thickets in lowland and hills all over Japan. Hills, gullies and woods at elevations of 100 - 600 metres in China.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Ligustrum obtusifolium:

Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, at least one member of this genus is recorded as being mildly toxic and it is quite possible that other members of the genus also contain toxins.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.