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Pseudopanax arboreus

Common name:	Puahou	Family:	Araliaceae
Author:	(Murray.)K.Koch.	Botanical references:	11, 44, 200
Synonyms:	Panax arboreus (G.Forst.), Nothopanax arboreus ((Murray.)Seem.), Neopanax arboreum ((Murray.)Allan.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	New Zealand.
Habitat:	Forests and open scrub from sea-level to 760 metres from North Cape to Southland.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Neopanax arboreus[G]
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	arboreus = tree like
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Ginseng family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 6m by 4m . It is hardy to zone 10. It is in leaf all year, in flower in July. 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 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. 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, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Young leaves[173]. The same report then goes on to say that the leaves are much too bitter to be edible[173].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a moist but well-drained humus-rich soil in semi-shade or full sun[200].
Not very hardy in Britain, plants tolerate temperatures down to about -5° c provided they are in a warm sheltered location[200]. Whilst they can succeed outdoors in the mildest parts of the country, they are not hardy at Kew[11].
Plants often start out life as epiphytes on the stems of tree ferns, eventually rooting into the ground[11].
Large plants respond well to heavy pruning and careful transplanting[200].
Plants have three distinctive forms of foliage at different stages in their life-cycles, the second stage, as a sapling, is often the most interesting[200].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - best sown when ripe in the autumn in a warm greenhouse[200]. The seed can be slow to germinate. 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].
Air layering[200].

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 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.

[44] Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961
The standard work, in 3 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats.

[173] Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302
A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.

[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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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.
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