This species has been confused with the Japanese species Buckleya lanceolata (Siebold & Zuccarini) Miquel, which differs by having longer bracts, leaves more markedly caudate, and indumentum dense and often multicellular[].

Common Name:

General Information

Buckleya henryi is a deciduous shrub with arching stems growing around 100 - 250cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It has long been pickled and sold in markets as a condiment[]

Known Hazards

The young leaves and the bark are reported to be poisonous and irritating to the skin[]

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - central and eastern China

Habitat

Mixed mesic to deciduous forests; at elevations from 700 - 1,800 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Buckleya henryi
This species is hemiparasitic on the roots of other trees. It requires a well-drained but moisture-retentive lime-free soil and should be plants close to the roots of a suitable host plant[].
Species of Buckleya form haustoria on a variety of hosts, including Taxus, Pinus, Chamaecyparis, Abies, Cryptomeria, and some hardwoods, both in nature and also in cultivation[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

The fruit contains starch[]. The fruits have long been pickled and sold as a condiment[]. The ellipsoid or obconic fruit is around 15mm x 10mm[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - stratify for 3 months at 5°c and sow into a pot already containing a young specimen of a suitable host tree. Plant out by the roots of a suitable host tree once the Buckleya is growing well and then remove the nurse tree when it is clear that the Buckleya is well established on the roots of its new host[].