Common Name:

General Information

Frangula crenata is a deciduous shrub or a small tree that can grow from 1 - 8 metres tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials.
Frangula crenata has a very wide distribution, a large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].

Known Hazards

The roots are poisonous[].
Species in this genus contain hydroxyanthracene derivatives which have a stimulant laxative effect upon the body, and many species are used traditionally as laxatives. In small doses, and for short periods, these can be safe and effective, but used over long periods they can weaken the body's natural ability to defecate and can have a range of long-lasting negative effects upon the body, including anaemia, malabsorption, haematuria and weight loss. Large single doses can cause severe purging.

Botanical References

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Range

E. Asia - southern and eastern China, central and southern Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia

Habitat

Mountain forests or thickets; at elevations up to 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Frangula crenata has a very wide distribution from the warm temperate regions of China and Japan to the tropics of southeast Asia. Plants from the north of its range are known to be very frost hardy, with one report suggesting they can tolerate temperatures down to around -30°c[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A maceration of the root in alcohol or vinegar is used in the treatment of ringworm and pityriasis versicolor[].

Other Uses

The roots and fruit contain a yellow dye[].

The roots and bark are often used as an insecticide[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed will require 1 - 2 months stratification at 5°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current year's growth, autumn in a frame.
Layering in early spring[].