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Sophora japonica

Common name:	Japanese Pagoda Tree	Family:	Leguminosae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	11, 109, 200
Synonyms:	Styphnolobium japonicum ((L.)Schott.)
Known Hazards:	The plant contains cytosine, which resembles nicotine and is similarly toxic[238].
Range:	E. Asia - N. China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat:	Open country between 300 and 1000 metres in W. China[109].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	2	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	S. japonica f. pendula[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Huai [E], Huai Chih Chiu [E], Japanese Pagoda Tree [P,DEN1], Japanese Pagodatree [H], Pagoda Tree [H], Sophora [H],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Fabales. Renamed to Fabaceae -- Pea family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China Japan

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 20m by 20m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 5 and is frost tender. It is in flower in September, and the seeds ripen in November. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

Flowers Leaves Rutin Tea.

Young leaves and flowers - cooked[177, 183]. The leaves need to be cooked in three lots of water in order to remove the bitterness[179]. This will also remove most of the vitamins and minerals[K].
The leaves are a rich source of rutin, they contain much more than the usual commercial source, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)[174]. The ovaries, before the flowers open, contain up to 40% rutin[218].
A tea can be made from the young leaves and flowers[183].
An edible starch is obtained from the seed[183].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Abortifacient Antibacterial Anticholesterolemic Antiinflammatory Antispasmodic Diuretic Emetic Emollient Febrifuge Hypotensive Purgative Skin Styptic Tonic.

This species is commonly used in Chinese medicine and is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[218]. It came second in a study of 250 potential antifertility agents[218].
Diuretic, emollient, febrifuge, tonic[11, 147, 174, 178].
The flowers and flower buds are antibacterial, anticholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, haemostatic and hypotensive[11, 147, 174, 176, 178, 218, 238, 279]. The ovaries, especially just before the plant flowers, are a rich source of rutin and this is a valuable hypotensive agent[218]. The buds, flowers and pods are concocted and used in the treatment of a variety of ailments[218] including internal haemorrhages, poor peripheral circulation, internal worms etc[238]. This remedy should not be prescribed for pregnant women[238].
The seedpods are abortifacient[218].
The seed is emetic and haemostatic[218]. It is used in the treatment of haemorrhoids, haematuria, uterine bleeding, constipation, stuffy sensation in the chest, dizziness, red eyes, headache and hypertension[176].It should be used with caution since it is toxic[218].
The leaves are laxative[218]. They are used in the treatment of epilepsy and convulsions[218].
A decoction of the stems is used in the treatment of piles, sore eyes and skin problems[218].

Other Uses

Dye Wood.

A yellow dye is obtained from the seedpods and the flowers[46, 61, 109, 178]. It is green when mixed with indigo[151].
Wood - tough, light, strong, of superior quality. Used in carpentry[109, 174].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a well-drained moderately fertile soil in full sun[200]. Tolerates poor soils, atmospheric pollution, heat and, once established, drought[200].
Hardy to about -25° when mature, but it can be damaged by severe frosts when it is young[200].
A very ornamental[1] and fast growing tree[200], it grows best in hot summers[188]. It grows best in the warmer areas of the country where the wood will be more readily ripened and better able to withstand winter cold[219]. Trees take 30 years to come into flower from seed.[200], but they do not often ripen their seed in Britain[11].
Cultivated in China for the rutin contained in its leaves and ovaries[218].
Plants should be container-grown and planted out whilst young, older plants do not transplant well[219].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[200]. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hours in hot (not boiling) water and sow in late winter in a greenhouse[78]. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle into individual pots in the greenhouse, and grow them on for 2 years under protected conditions. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of their third year.
Cuttings of young shoots with a heel, July/August in a frame[11].
Air-layering[200].

Suppliers

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

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[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.
[PHARM] Phytochemical Data (common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
[DEN] Data _ Photos (Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.

References for Styphnolobium japonicum (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

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.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[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.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[109] Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.
Details of the palnts collected by the plant collector E. H. Wilson on his travels in China. Gives some habitats. Not for the casual reader.

[147] ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.

[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.

[174] Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
A good Japanese herbal.

[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

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