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Common Name:

General Information

Ternstroemia japonica is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 3.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan and the Himalayas where it grows at elevations of 1,200 - 1,500 metres.

Habitat

Forests and thickets at elevations of 200 - 2800 metres in southern and western China[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	3.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a lime-free soil and a sheltered position[]. Succeeds in a fertile humus-rich well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in part shade[]. Succeeds in north-facing sites[].
Generally considered to be a tender shrub, but it tolerates temperatures down to about -10°c if the wood has been well-ripened[] and succeeds outdoors in the mildest maritime areas of Britain[, ].
Any pruning is best carried out in spring[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The root and the stem bark are astringent[]. They are used in the treatment of dysentery[].
The leaves are used in the treatment of malaria[].

Other Uses

Used as a screening or hedging plant[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[]. Sow stored seed in a greenhouse in early spring[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle. Grow the young plants on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer.
Cuttings of half ripe wood, August in a frame[].