Herb latin name: Torreya jackii


Family: Cephalotaxaceae (Plum Yew Family)



Edible parts of Torreya jackii:

Seed. No more details are given but it is likely that the seed can be eaten raw or cooked and is rich in oil. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
10 m
(33 feet)

Flowering:
April
to May

Habitat of the herb:

Woods at elevations of 400 - 1000 metres in N Fujian, NE Jiangxi S Zhejiang provinces.

Other uses of Torreya jackii:

The leaves are very aromatic when bruised or burned, giving off a fragrance like sandalwood oil. The wood is very fragrant, and is used to make agricultural implements, utensils, and handicrafts.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some of the seed should germinate in the following spring though much of it might take another 12 months. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification and can take 18 months or more to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as growth is observed and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least the next couple of winters, making sure to pot them on into larger pots as and when required. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer when the plants are at least 20cm tall. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots in late summer. Cuttings do not grow well. Layering.

Cultivation of Torreya jackii:

Woods at elevations of 400 - 1000 metres in N Fujian, NE Jiangxi S Zhejiang provinces.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Torreya jackii:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.