Common Name:

General Information

Staphylea holocarpa is a deciduous shrub or a small tree usually growing 3 - 5 metres tall, occasionally reaching 10 metres[]. The plant produces suckers, forming a cluster of stems[].
A popular vegetable in parts of China, the plant is often harvested from the wild[]. The plant is grown as an ornamental

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Central and southern China (Gansu to Zhejiang, south to Yunnan and Guangdong), northeast Myanmar

Habitat

Open forests on hillsides; at elevations from 1,200 - 2,200 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Staphylea holocarpa is generally a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -30°c when fully dormant[].
Tolerant of a wide range of soils so long as they are not too dry[, ], it prefers a rich loamy soil in full sun or semi-shade[, , ].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[]. They can be dried for later use[].

Flowers (probably the flower buds) - cooked[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - this can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 18 months or more. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[], and some of it at least should then germinate in the spring. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible and given cold stratification - it might not germinate until spring of the following year. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out early the following summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Fair to good percentage[].
Cuttings of mature wood root easily.
Layering in mid summer. Takes 15 months. Good percentage[].
Division of sucker shoots.