Herb latin name: Nothofagus betuloides


Synonyms: Fagus betuloides


Family: Fagaceae (Beech Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
20 m
(66 feet)

Flowering:
May

Habitat of Nothofagus betuloides:

Dominant or locally dominant in evergreen forest on better drained sites in areas of higher rainfall from sea level to 500 metres in S. Chile.

Other uses of the herb:

The bark is used for making buckets and torches, it is also used as a torch which suggests that it is rich in resin. Wood - heavy, hard. It has similar uses to Fagus sylvatica, the native Beech.

Propagation of Nothofagus betuloides:

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cool greenhouse or cold frame. Spring-sown seed requires 2 - 3 months stratification at 1 - 5°C. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed must not be allowed to dry out according to one report whilst another says that the seed can be stored dry at 2°C for long periods. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 6 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Layering.

Cultivation of the herb:

Dominant or locally dominant in evergreen forest on better drained sites in areas of higher rainfall from sea level to 500 metres in S. Chile.

Medicinal use of Nothofagus betuloides:

None known

Known hazards of Nothofagus betuloides:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.