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Lindera obtusiloba

Common name:		Family:	Lauraceae
Author:	Blume.	Botanical references:	11, 200
Synonyms:	Benzoin obtusilobum ((Blume.)Kuntze.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat:	Thickets and copses[151].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	L. cercidifolia[G] L. obtusiloba f. velutina[G]
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	obtusiloba = blunt lobed;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Laurales. Laurel family

Physical Characteristics

A decidious shrub growing to 6m by 6m . It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from March to April. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Leaves; Tea.

The young buds and leaves are used as a tea substitute[177, 183].
Young leaves are fried and used as a Buddhist ceremonial dish[183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Oil.

An oil obtained from the plant is used as a hair oil[151]. It is probably obtained from the oil[K].

Cultivation details

Requires a lime-free rather moist soil[200]. Prefers partial shade or dappled sunlight in a fertile moisture-retentive soil enriched with leafmould[200].
Plants can be pruned right back to the base if required, though any drastic pruning is best spread over several seasons[200].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required[188].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse. The seed has a short viability and should not be allowed to dry out[200]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July in a frame[200].
Layering.

Suppliers

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

Web References

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

[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

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[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.

[151] Wilson. E. H. and Trollope. M. N. Corean Flora. Royal Asiatic Society 1918
A very small handbook, it does give a little bit of information on Korean plants.

[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.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
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.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[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.

Readers Comments

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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
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