2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Chinese velvet (lat. Phellodendron chinense) - decorative culture; a representative of the Velvet genus of the Rutovye family. Not the most common type in ornamental gardening, in popularity and appearance it is slightly inferior to its close relative - Amur velvet. It is more often grown to obtain valuable raw materials used in traditional medicine. Medicinal raw materials are especially actively used in China; powder biologically active additives are prepared from the bark. In nature, Chinese velvet is found in East Asia.
Characteristics of culture
Chinese velvet is a deciduous tree up to 10-12 m high with a trunk covered with gray or gray-brown cork-like bark, dark purple strong branches and a wide crown. The leaves are rather large, light green, compound, feathery, opposite, consist of 7-13 oblong, finely toothed or whole, pointed leaves, pubescent on the back and bare outside. With the onset of autumn days, the foliage of the velvet turns yellow or golden yellow.
Flowers are small, inconspicuous, green, cup-shaped, collected in racemose inflorescences. Fruits are bluish-black, round, up to 1 cm in diameter, not used for food, play a purely decorative role. Chinese velvet blooms in June, the fruits ripen in the third decade of September - the first decade of October. The species in question grows from May to October, as in any other cases, the exact dates depend on the climate.
Chinese velvet grows very slowly, does not differ in winter-hardy properties. Propagated by seeds and cuttings, however, the second method gives low results, even when the cuttings are treated with growth stimulants, a small percentage takes root. For this reason, Chinese velvet is most often propagated by seeds, mainly freshly harvested. Autumn sowing is carried out without prior stratification, spring sowing - with stratification. To do this, the seeds are soaked for 2-3 days in warm water (periodically changing the water), then placed in moistened sand, packed and sent to the refrigerator.
Crops must be mulched with organic material. When not very useful neighbors appear, that is, weeds, weeding is carried out. Watering is also done regularly. Young plants obtained from seeds are transplanted to a permanent place no earlier than 2-3 years later. Chinese velvet is not suitable for landscaping the Moscow and Leningrad regions, it has a negative attitude to low temperatures, freezes and, accordingly, does not bloom, it is suitable for landscaping the southern regions.
Chinese velvet is photophilous, like other representatives of the genus. He is also picky about soil conditions and air humidity. She tolerates haircuts, pruning and transplanting well. The average life of one tree is 270-300 years. The wood of Chinese velvet is highly valued because it practically does not rot and does not dry out, in addition, it has a beautiful color and decorative texture.
Medical use
Chinese velvet, as mentioned, is actively used in traditional medicine. It is the most valuable medicinal plant. The most useful parts are considered to be the bark, which is harvested in autumn or spring, as well as fruits, bast and foliage. So, decoctions and infusions of bark and bast are effective in the treatment of allergies of various kinds, arthritis, dermatitis, eye and kidney diseases. Preparations based on bast and leaves are used as a tonic, appetite-raising and digestion-improving agent.
Fresh fruits and leaves are advised to use in case of nervous exhaustion, depression, dysentery, hepatitis and diabetes mellitus. It should be noted that the bark contains a large amount of alkaloids and polysaccharides, therefore it is often used in the treatment of purely female diseases, for example, cervical cancer. Infusions and decoctions are used not only internally, but also externally (for the treatment of purulent and other types of wounds). Velvet leaves are rich in essential oils, vitamins P and C, as well as tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, etc.
By the way, the essential oil obtained from the leaves has a bactericidal and anthelmintic effect. The fruits of the species in question also include essential oil. No less attention should be devoted to bast, it turns out that it contains coumarins, steroids, starch, mucus and other substances, so decoctions from it are recommended as an expectorant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.
Recommended:
Velvet
Velvet (lat.Phellodendron) - a genus of shrubs and trees of the Rutovye family. The genus includes 10 species, closely related in biological characteristics, distributed mainly in East Asia. In Russia, Amur velvet is a frequent visitor to gardens and parks.
Amur Velvet
Amur velvet belongs to a family called rue. In Latin, the name of this plant sounds like this: Phellodendron amurense Rupr. Description of Amur Velvet Amur velvet is a tree that can reach about thirty meters in height and one meter in diameter.
Japanese Velvet
Japanese velvet (lat.Phellodendron japonicum) - decorative culture; a representative of the Velvet genus of the Rutovye family. Comes from the island of Honshu (the largest island in Japan). It is used in ornamental gardening, unlike its close relative, Amur velvet, is a rare species.
Velvet Hearts Of Saintpaulia
Rarely does a Russian window sill pass by an evergreen with velvety heart-shaped leaves and a rich palette of colors of 5-petal flowers that form dense inflorescences-brushes. A compact plant does not require large containers and close attention of the grower, decorating the house with elegant flowers all year round
"Velvet" Garden Decor
Marigolds are perhaps the most popular flowers in our gardens. They are not only unpretentious and cute, but also very versatile. They are used to decorate both a flower bed, a rabatka, and any garden bed. How else can you use this “sunny velvet” in your garden?
