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Ternstroemia japonica

Common name:		Family:	Theaceae
Author:	Thunb.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 266
Synonyms:	Ternstroemia gymnanthera ((Wight.& Arn.)Sprague.)
Known Hazards:	None known
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[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Cleyera gymnanthera[G] Taonabo japonica[G]
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Theales. Tea family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	India

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen shrub growing to 3.5m. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

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

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedge, Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, By Walls, By North Wall.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Astringent.

The root and the stem bark are astringent[218]. They are used in the treatment of dysentery[240].
The leaves are used in the treatment of malaria[218].

Other Uses

Hedge.

Used as a screening or hedging plant[200].

Cultivation details

Requires a lime-free soil and a sheltered position[182]. Succeeds in a fertile humus-rich well-drained but moisture-retentive soil in part shade[200]. Succeeds in north-facing sites[200].
Generally considered to be a tender shrub, but it tolerates temperatures down to about -10° c if the wood has been well-ripened[200] and succeeds outdoors in the mildest maritime areas of Britain[182, 200].
Any pruning is best carried out in spring[188].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[200]. Sow stored seed in a greenhouse in early spring[188]. 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[200].

Suppliers

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

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Ternstroemia gymnanthera (a possible synonym).

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

References for the family Theaceae.

[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.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[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.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

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

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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This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Ternstroemia+japonica
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