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Thuja orientalis

Common name:	Biota	Family:	Cupressaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	11, 200
Synonyms:	Platycladus stricta (Spach.), Platycladus orientalis ((L.)Franco.), Biota orientalis ((L.)Endl.)
Known Hazards:	The leaves are toxic if eaten[238]. The plant can also cause skin allergies in sensitive people[238].
Range:	E. Asia - W. China, N. Korea. A small wild population is also found in N.E. Iran.
Habitat:	Steep dry rocky valley slopes[11, 200].
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.
	Biota chinensis[H] Retinispora juniperoides[G] T. chinensis[H] T. orientalis f. juniperoides[G] T. orientalis var. aurea[G] Tsuga orientalis[E]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Chinese Arbor Vitae [H], Nioi-Hiba [E], Oriental Arborvitae [P], Oriental-arborvitae [B], Pien Po [E], Po [E], Po Hsiang Sui [E], Po Shih [E], Po Tzu [E], Po Tzu Jen [E], Po Yeh Chiu [E],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	orientalis = eastern
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Pinales. Cypress family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	China

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 15m by 5m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and 3/5 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 and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedge, Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

Seed.

Seed - after removing the bitterness[105, 179]. No more details are given, but the bitterness in seeds is usually removed either by leaching them in water or by thoroughly cooking them[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antiasthmatic Antibacterial Antipyretic Antitussive Aperient Astringent Diuretic Emmenagogue Emollient Expectorant Haemostatic Lenitive Parasiticide Sedative Skin Stomachic.

This plant is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs[218].
The leaves are antibacterial, antipyretic, antitussive, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient, expectorant, febrifuge, haemostatic, refrigerant and stomachic[147, 176, 218, 238]. Their use is said to improve the growth of hair[147, 176, 238]. They are used internally in the treatment of coughs, haemorrhages, excessive menstruation, bronchitis, asthma, skin infections, mumps, bacterial dysentery, arthritic pain and premature baldness[238]. The leaves are harvested for use as required and can be used fresh or dried[238]. This remedy should not be prescribed to pregnant women[238].
The seed is aperient, lenitive and sedative[147, 176, 218]. It is used internally in the treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous disorders and constipation in the elderly[238].
The root bark is used in the treatment of burns and scalds[218].
The stems are used in the treatment of coughs, colds, dysentery, rheumatism and parasitic skin diseases[218].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

Dye Hedge Wood.

Tolerant of regular trimming, though not into old wood, it can be grown as a dense hedge[149].
A yellow dye is obtained from the young branches[4].
Wood - durable in the soil, moderately hard, close grained, rather coarse grained, light, soft, brittle. Used for construction, cabinet making, cooperage[4, 146, 149, 227].

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist loamy soil[149]. Grows best on dry freely draining sites, often alkaline in reaction[200]. Does well over old building rubble[200]. Tolerant of dry dusty sites and of atmospheric pollution in towns[81]. Prefers a sunny sheltered position[238].
Easily transplanted[149].
There are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value.
Produces seed freely in cultivation[200].
A slow growing tree, it does not really thrive in Britain[11], especially in the western part of the country[200]. The best specimens are to be found in towns or cities such as Oxford and very sharply drained soils in gardens[185].
Plants cannot regenerate from old wood. Pruning is not normally necessary for this species, any pruning that is carried out should be done with care[238].
Plants are susceptible to attacks by honey fungus[238].

Propagation

Seed - best sown when ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Stored seed germinates best if given a short cold stratification. It can then be sown in a cold frame in late winter. Plants make very little growth in their first year[78]. 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.
If there is sufficient seed it is worthwhile trying a sowing in an outdoor seed bed in April[78]. Grow the plants on for at least two years before planting them out in the winter.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a shaded frame. Forms roots by the end of September but should be overwintered in a frame[78].
Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September in a cold frame. Forms roots in the following summer. Plant out in autumn or spring[78].

Cultivars

'': There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

Suppliers

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

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[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.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Biota orientalis (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

References for Platycladus orientalis (a possible synonym).

[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.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Tsuga orientalis (a possible synonym).

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

References for the family Cupressaceae.

[CHINA] 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.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[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.

[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.

[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. 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.

[149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.

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

[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.

[185] Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
A bit out of date (first published in 1972), but an excellent guide to how well the various species of conifers grow in Britain giving locations of trees.

[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.

[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.

[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

Thuja orientalis

David Nicholls (Davidni@xxtra.co.nz) Sat Aug 18 03:48:27 2001

E.Menninger says it is recommened for seaside planting("belt 2' second in toughness) may be worth a try, I've not tried it.Productivity would probably be diminished.

Ref:Seaside Plants of the world 1964.

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