Chinese Alangium Alangium chinense
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- al-LAN-jee-um chi-NEN-see
- Description
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This tree is native to the sub-tropical and tropical areas of Africa and Asia in the Cornaceae family. It is found in open areas of forest or forest margins between 65 and 10,800 feet elevation.
This tree will grow 26 to 73 feet in its native habitat, but here in North America, it grows as a shrub or small tree 8 to 15 feet. tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. In cold winter areas, the top will die down, but it will resprout from the base in spring. Plant it in moist well-drained soil in the full sun. Propagate by seed or stem cuttings. Minimal pruning is needed, except to shape if desired.
It is an attractive plant with some variation in its size, leaves and fruit depending on whether it is native to Asia or Africa. The small flowers are white and fragrant and appear in spring. The bright green leaves are attractive. It is difficult to find for sale and buying specimens that come from the higher elevations will have better success.
Use as a specimen, in a shrub hedge or as a small shade tree. It can be used in an Asian garden or grown in containers.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Leaf spot, root rot and bacterial blight are possible fungal diseases. Insects are spider mites, aphids and scale
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Alangium
- Species:
- chinense
- Family:
- Cornaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used in Chinese and African herbal medicine. Oil from the seeds can be used to light lamps
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East tropical Africa; E. Asia - China, India, Myanmar, Thailand,
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Oval purple drupe that ripens late summer into fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Small white fragrant flowers with 5-8 petals
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves 4-6 × 1.5-3 inches and vary from narrowly elliptic to broadly ovate. The apex is acute to mucronate and the base is rounded or subcuneate to subcordate. Margins can be entire or lobed and dentate depending on where it's native to. Fall color is a muted yellow. The undersurface of the leaves have tufts of hairs.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Bark Description:
- The bark is smooth and grey.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Branchlets pubescent when young, later glabrous
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Specimen
