Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Kalopanax septemlobus

Common name:	Tree Aralia	Family:	Araliaceae
Author:	(Thunb. ex A.Murray.)Koidz.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 266
Synonyms:	Kalopanax ricinifolius ((Siebold.& Zucc.)Miq.), Kalopanax pictus ((Thunb.)Nakai.), Acer pictum (Thunb. 1783, non Thunb. 1784), Acanthopanax ricinifolium ((Siebold.& Zucc.)Seem.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat:	Cool deciduous forests from near sea level to elevations of 2500 metres[11, 200, 266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Acanthopanax ricinifolius[G] Acanthopanax septemlobus[G] Acer septemlobum[G] Brassaiopsis ricinifolia[G] Panax ricinifolium[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Kalopanax [P], Tz'U Ch'Iu Shu [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	septemlobus = 7 leaved
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Ginseng family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 25m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Young leaves and young shoots - cooked[177, 179].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antifungal Expectorant Hepatic Skin Stomachic.

The bark contains a range of bio-active constituents, including saponins, flavonoids and lignans[279]. It has antifungal and liver protecting properties[279]. It is used in Korea in the treatment of contusions, beri-beri, lumbago, neuralgia and pleurisy[279].
An infusion of the leaves is used to make a stomachic tea[218].
The root is expectorant[218].
A decoction of the wood is used for skin diseases[178, 218].

Other Uses

Insecticide.

The bark and the leaves are used as an insecticide[178].
Wood[266].

Cultivation details

Requires a deep fertile moisture-retentive soil in sun or part shade[200].
Young shoots, especially on young plants, can die back over winter if they are not fully ripened[11]. Young plants are slow-growing[200].
The tree is widely cultivated for timber in China[266].
A polymorphic species[11].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame[200]. Stored seed probably requires a period of cold stratification and should be sown as soon as possible. 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.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200].
Root cuttings in late winter.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Acanthopanax ricinifolium (a possible synonym).

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for Acer pictum (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Kalopanax pictus (a possible synonym).

[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for the family Araliaceae.

[CHINA] Draft Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

Main Search Page Help Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Kalopanax+septemlobus
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Kalopanax+septemlobus

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Pathways Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Privacy Policy :: Philosophy :: The Witchs Haven

We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.