Common Name:

General Information

Styrax faberi is a deciduous shrub or small tree usually growing around 100 - 200cm tall, with some specimens reaching 9 metres[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of oil from its seeds. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern China

Habitat

Scrub covered slopes or under forests; at elevations from 100 - 1,000 metres[]. Mixed forests and thickets, on hillside slopes, along streams and roadsides, on dry, sandy or clay soils; at elevations from 60 - 1,420 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Styrax faberi is not very cold-tolerant though it should survive winter temperatures falling to around -5°c[ or a little lower1212].
Plants in this genus tend to prefer a warm, sheltered position in a moist but well-drained acidic soil[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The oil extracted from the seeds is used as a soap and a machine lubricant[].

Propagation

Seed - requires stratification and is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[]. Stored seed requires 3 months warm then 3 months cold stratification[]. Germination is usually good, prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle. Overwinter in a greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in late spring.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].
Layering in autumn.