Common Name:

General Information

Grewia tiliifolia is a deciduous tree growing 12 - 24 metres tall[]. The bole can be 60cm or more in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos. Vietnam.

Habitat

Open woodlands, shrublands, grasslands; at elevations from 800 - 1,600 metres in southern China[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	18.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist, lowland tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 900 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 30 - 42°c, but can tolerate 7 - 47°c[]. Mature plants can be killed by temperatures of -5°c or lower, but young growth will be severely damaged at -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 750 - 4,000mm[].
Succeeds in full sun and light shade[]. Succeeds in a range of well-drained soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 7[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. An agreeable, acid flavour, but a lot of seeds and little pulp. The black, globose fruit is about the size of a pea[, ].
The fruit is a good source of micronutrients such as anthocyanins, phenols, flavonoids and vitamin C. They have a moderate antioxidant activity and make an excellent, healthful addition to the diet[]

Medicinal

The fruit is antioxidant[].

A thick mucilage can be extracted from the bark and this, combined with the powdered seed of Panicum miliaceun, is taken as a remedy for dysentery[].
The bark is used to heal wounds, cure kapha, vata, burning sensation, throat complaints, biliousness and diseases of the nose and blood. It is also used in the treatment of dysentery, and is employed externally to remove the irritation from cow-itch[, ].

The powdered wood is emetic and is used as an antidote to opium poisoning[, ].

An ethanolic extract of the aerial parts has shown CNS depressant and diuretic activity while that of stem bark
exhibited spermic and hypotensive activity[].

Other Uses

A fibre from the inner bark is used to make cordage[, ].

The brown heartwood is in a thin layer; the sapwood is white. The wood is close-grained, hard. It is used for shafts, shoulder poles, masts, golf clubs, tool handles, oars and all purposes for which elasticity, strength and toughness are required[, ].

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information for this species but seed of this genus is generally best sown as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!), allowing the mix to cool somewhat and then leaving it in a warm place to soak for 12 - 24 hours. Sow the seeds in situ or in a nursery seedbed or trays - do not allow the compost to become dry. Germination and early growth are usually quite quick.
Cuttings - best taken with a heel.

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