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Useful Temperate Plants

Laurelia sempervirens

(Ruiz & Pav.) Tul.

Atherospermataceae

+ Synonyms

Atherosperma sempervirens (Ruiz & Pav.) Baill.

Laurelia aromatica Juss. ex Poir.

Laurelia crenata Poepp. ex Tul.

Laurelia serrata Bertero

Pavonia sempervirens Ruiz & Pav.

Thiga chilensis Molina

Common Name: Chilean Laurel

Laurelia sempervirens
Looking up the trunk into the canopy
Photograph by: pabloendemico
Creative Commons License
Laurelia sempervirens Laurelia sempervirens Laurelia sempervirens Laurelia sempervirens Laurelia sempervirens Laurelia sempervirens Laurelia sempervirens

General Information

Laurelia sempervirens is an evergreen tree with a dense canopy and a usually straight bole; it can grow up to 30 metres tall, though it is often much smaller in cultivation[
11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, food and source of materials. It is exploited on a commercial basis for its timber. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
This species is of some importance as a timber and is under threat from overexploitation in the north of its range. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

S. America - central and southern Chile

Habitat

Mixed evergreen forests, sometimes in almost pure stands[
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
]. Moist and wet soils in forests, deep gullies and creek beds[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusNear Threatened
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height15.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Laurelia sempervirens is a tree of the sub-tropics and is not very hardy outside the milder regions of the temperate zone. It is said to tolerate temperatures down to about -5°c[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
], though another report says that plants have withstood temperatures down to -11°c[
104
Title
The Garden. Volume 111.
Publication
 
Author
RHS.
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society
Year
1986
ISBN
-
Description
Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS, including an article on Crambe maritima and another on several species thought to be tender that are succeeding in a S. Devon garden.
]. It succeeds outdoors in the mildest areas of the UK, growing well and flowering regularly in Cornwall[
11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
59
Title
Trees and Shrubs in Cornwall.
Publication
 
Author
Thurston.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Trees and shrubs that succeed in Cornwall based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.
].
Succeeds in sun or semi-shade in any moderately fertile soil, including a limey soil, so long as it does not dry out in the growing season[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Requires a warm position sheltered from cold winds[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The foliage is very aromatic[
188
Title
The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Brickell. C.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd.
Year
1990
ISBN
0-86318-386-7
Description
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
].
If required for its wood, it is necessary to cut the tree only when the sap is down[
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
There appear to be two forms of this species. That formerly known as Laurelia serrata (now treated as a synonym) has a more southerly range and yields an inferior timber - on this form the bark is odourless and the wood has an unpleasant smell. The form with the more northerly range has an aromatic bark and the wood is odourless[
11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
].
The tree grows to immense size in the Cordilleran foothills of the south of Chile, and gradually diminishes in size as it is found north of the river Bio Bio[
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Plants are often dioecious, male and female forms will need to be grown if fruit and seed is required.

Edible Uses

The bark and leaves are used as a spice[
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. The fruit and the seed are used[
2
Title
Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Hedrick. U. P.
Publisher
Dover Publications
Year
1972
ISBN
0-486-20459-6
Description
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].

Medicinal

An infusion of the scraped or pounded wood, the leaves or the flowers can all be used to cure pains in the head which are the results of colds. The same is true, and especially for an infusion of the leaves, when treating affections of the digestive tubes, urinary organs, to combat bronchitis and as baths or lotions to strengthen the nervous system, to alleviate or moderate paralysis, to fumigate the body against spasmodic convulsions etc[
139
Title
Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Some information about the useful plants of Chile.
,
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A pomade made of the powdered leaves cures skin diseases[
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

An infusion of the bark is used as a remedy for lockjaw, etc[
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The ground bark being placed in the cavity of a tooth stops the pain[
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Other Uses

The heartwood is yellowish-brown with greenish, grey and purplish streaks; it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood, which is a uniform greyish-brown in colour. The grain is generally straight; texture moderately fine and even; slightly lustrous; there is no distinctive odour or taste (though another report saya that it is malodorous if cut across the grain[
139
Title
Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Some information about the useful plants of Chile.
]); growth rings are not well defined. The wood is liable to insect attack; it has a low to medium resistance to wear; it is only durable when not exposed to the elements. It air-seasons fairly rapidly with little or no degrade. Works very easily with hand or machine tools; there is a slight blunting effect on cutting edges but a good, clean finish is obtained in most operations if thin, sharp cutting edges are used; it takes nails and screws satisfactorily - the holding power is good; glues well; stains and polishes satisfactorily; moderately good steam bending properties. It is used in construction[
139
Title
Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Some information about the useful plants of Chile.
,
316
Title
Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
Publication
 
Author
Chudnoff. Martin.
Publisher
USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
Year
1984
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
,
341
Title
South American Timbers: the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 190 Species.
Publication
 
Author
Bolza. E. & Christensen. F.J.
Publisher
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Year
1979
ISBN
0 643 02582 0
Description
A very useful guide.
,
487
Title
Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported Vol. 21
Publication
USDA Bureau of Plant Industry - Bulletin No. 205
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
USDA Government Printing Office; Washington DC.
Year
1911
ISBN
 
Description
Details of seeds imported for trials by the United States Department of Agriculture in the last quarter of 1909, often detailing the uses of the plant and various other miscellaneous information. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]
As a fuel it burns well, but gives little heat[
139
Title
Flora of Chile. (in Spanish)
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Some information about the useful plants of Chile.
].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter or early spring in a warm greenhouse. Germination rates are variable[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
]. 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, and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter or two outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, mid summer in individual pots in sandy soil in a frame. Keep them moist. Fair percentage[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Layering in spring[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-12-03. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Laurelia+sempervirens>

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