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Useful Tropical Plants

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides

Siebold & Zucc.

Rutaceae

+ Synonyms

Fagara ailanthoides (Siebold & Zucc.) Engl.

Fagara boninshimae Koidz.

Fagara emarginella (Miq.) Engl.

Fagara hemsleyana (Makino) Makino

Zanthoxylum emarginellum Miq.

Zanthoxylum hemsleyanum Makino

Common Name:

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides
Leaves and canopy
Photograph by: Shih-Shiuan Kao
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

General Information

Zanthoxylum ailanthoides is an apparently evergreen tree growing up to 25 metres tall.
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its edible seed, medicinal uses and timber, which are used locally.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
654
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. Vol. 47
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the Malaysian species of Zanthoxylum, amongst other articles. It can be downloaded from the internet.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, central and southern Japan, Korea, Philippines.

Habitat

Mountains[
58
Title
Flora of Japan. (English translation)
Publication
 
Author
Ohwi. G.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1965
ISBN
-
Description
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
]. Upland thickets; at elevations from 300 - 1,500 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Lowland forests; at elevations up to 300 metres[
654
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. Vol. 47
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the Malaysian species of Zanthoxylum, amongst other articles. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height18.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant mainly of warm temperate to subtropical regions, just entering into the tropics in the northern Philippines. It is a rather frost-tender species[
182
Title
Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos.
Publication
 
Author
Thomas. G. S.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1992
ISBN
0-7195-5043-2
Description
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Prefers a good deep well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or semi-shade[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
11
Title
Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
Publication
 
Author
Bean. W.
Publisher
Murray
Year
1981
ISBN
-
Description
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Flowers are formed on the old wood[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms must be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

Seed - cooked. A pungent flavour, it is used as a condiment[
178
Title
Chinese Materia Medica.
Publication
 
Author
Stuart. Rev. G. A.
Publisher
Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Year
1911
ISBN
-
Description
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
]. A red pepper substitute[
178
Title
Chinese Materia Medica.
Publication
 
Author
Stuart. Rev. G. A.
Publisher
Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Year
1911
ISBN
-
Description
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
]. The fruit is rather small but is produced in clusters which makes harvesting easy[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. Each fruit contains a single seed.

Young leaves[
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of 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.
]. No more details are given.

Medicinal

The resin contained in the bark, and especially in that of the roots, is antitussive, carminative, and powerfully stimulant[
82
Title
Manual of the Trees of N. America.
Publication
 
Author
Sargent. C. S.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Dover Publications Inc. New York.
Year
1965
ISBN
0-486-20278-X
Description
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the internet.
,
178
Title
Chinese Materia Medica.
Publication
 
Author
Stuart. Rev. G. A.
Publisher
Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Year
1911
ISBN
-
Description
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
].

Other Uses

The wood is used locally to make canoes[
654
Title
Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. Vol. 47
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.
Year
1966
ISBN
 
Description
A treatment of the Malaysian species of Zanthoxylum, amongst other articles. It can be downloaded from the internet.
].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed may requires up to 3 months cold stratification, though scarification may also help[
113
Title
The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
Publication
 
Author
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W.
Publisher
Athens Ga. Varsity Press
Year
1987
ISBN
0942375009
Description
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
]. Germination should take place within 6 months, though it might take another 12 months. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them until large enough to plant out.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood.
Root cuttings, 3cm long, planted horizontally in pots. Good percentage[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Suckers, removed when the plant is dormant, and planted direct into their permanent positions[
113
Title
The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
Publication
 
Author
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W.
Publisher
Athens Ga. Varsity Press
Year
1987
ISBN
0942375009
Description
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Zanthoxylum+ailanthoides>

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