Woody > Taxus > Taxus wallichaina > Taxus wallichaina
Taxus wallichaina
Rakhal Punjab, East Himalayan Yew
Origin: Native to the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and India, and grows in the hilly parts of Nepal.
Mike's
Opinion
"
Taxus wallichiana, also known as the Himalayan yew or Loth Salla, is a significant tree that grows in Nepal's high highlands at an elevation of 2,300 to 3,400 meters. Its wood is useful for construction and burning, its red berries are edible, and its leaves and bark contain medicine that helps treat cancer. These are only a few of the reasons why people love it. However, these trees are being endangered because far too many people are felling them for financial gain or personal usage. To keep them safe, we must move quickly. This entails establishing regulations to protect the trees, monitoring their population, and disseminating information about the value of tree care. Taking care of Taxus wallichiana is essential to maintaining the balance of nature and ensuring the continued benefits it provides to the people of Nepal.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Taxaceae |
| Genus |
| Taxus |
| Species |
| wallichaina |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 6 - 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 7a - 9b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H6 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-10) - 30 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 14 - 86 |
| Height |
| 4 - 6 m |
| Spread |
| 3 - 4 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
click to expand
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Taxus Wallichiana is a big evergreen shrub or small tree that goes by the names Himalayan yew and loth salla. It can reach a height of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and a width of about 4.5 feet (1.5 meters) for its thick trunk. In windy and stony places, it could resemble a shrub more. It grows in a twisted manner rather than a straight line, and its dark green leaves are closely spaced. This tree has a lengthy lifespan and grows extremely slowly. Its male and female parts are on different trees, which makes it unique. It broadens and takes on a pyramidal appearance as it ages. All in all, the plant stands out among its surroundings. |
| Landscape |
| The Himalayan yew, Taxus Wallichiana, is utilized in landscaping for its ornamental value, and is used in many different ways in modern landscape design. Its green leaves are often planted in cities, giving parks and streets a pleasant appearance. It's well-liked in gardens for its graceful foliage and moderate development; it's frequently used as a feature tree or combined with other plants. Because it can grow in a variety of locations and aid animals in finding refuge, it is occasionally planted in damaged regions to aid in the restoration of natural habitats. It provides animals with a safe area to reside even though it's not a major source of food. Its bark and leaves are used to create medicines, and people enjoy using its sturdy wood to make furniture. So, overall, Himalayan yew serves a variety of purposes, including aesthetic enhancement, natural restoration, and the production of materials for practical items like furniture and medications. |
| Cultivation |
| This Evergreen Tree prefers well-drained soil that is high in organic matter. It favors pH values that are slightly acidic above neutral, ideally between 5.5 to 6.5 for optimal growth. Though it can handle some shade, before planting, pick a spot with exposure to either full sun or partial shade. Although it may grow in a variety of soil types, moist loamy soil is ideal for it. Watering the soil on a regular basis is essential, especially in times of drought, to keep it continuously damp but not soggy. Because the Himalayan yew is tolerant of urban environments, it can be planted in gardens, parks, and streetscapes. For best growth, it is best to plant it in cleaner environments as it may be vulnerable to pollution in more urbanized areas. Given the circumstances, having shaded areas, well-drained soil, and consistent watering will help guarantee cultivation of Taxus wallichiana. |
| Shape |
| The crown of the tree is shaped rounded or pyramid, and it has many branches that grow straight up and then outward. It has a pyramidal shape while it is young, but as it ages, its branches spread out and it gets wider. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Himalayan yew can be identified by three key characteristics. Firstly, its dark green needle-like leaves are arranged spirally along the stems, with a glossy texture. Secondly, the plant produces bright red fleshy arils, resembling cone-like structures that contain the seeds, which are especially noticeable in the fall and winter seasons. Lastly, Taxus wallichiana typically displays an irregular growth habit, with branches that twist and turn rather than growing straight, along with reddish-brown bark that becomes furrowed with age. These distinct features make it easily distinguishable from other coniferous species. |
| Pests |
| Insects like mealybugs, soft scale, cottony camellia or taxus scale, and black vine weevil are among the pests that frequently harm Taxus (yew). These insects can harm the twigs, roots, and leaves, which can result in signs including dying twigs, yellowing foliage, and general plant health declines. Fungal diseases, such root rot (Phytophthora spp.), can be harmful to Taxus as well. Symptoms include stunted growth, dieback of branches, and chlorotic needles. Various factors, including plant health, management techniques, and environmental circumstances, might affect the frequency and severity of these pests and diseases. Generally speaking, pests like root rot and the black vine weevil can be persistent and serious harm can result from improper management. Furthermore, some pests, like the black vine weevil, have developed resistance to pesticides, which makes control efforts more difficult and necessitates close observation and integrated pest management techniques to reduce the pests negative effects on Taxus plants. |
| Habitat |
| The Himalayan yew is mostly found in the Himalayan Mountain regions of northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It grows well in a variety of environments, from alpine slopes to mixed woods, and it frequently favours well-drained soils that hold moisture well. It coexists with other coniferous species including spruces, firs, and pines in its natural habitat, in addition to broadleaf trees like oaks and rhododendrons. Although it thrives in cool, damp environments, once established it can withstand some degree of drought. Given the circumstances, Taxus wallichiana is ideally suited to the rough landscape and changing temperatures of the Himalayan region. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| As Taxus wallichiana ages, it experiences discernible changes in its bark. The bark is usually smooth and has a reddish-brown colour when it is young. The bark of the tree becomes deeply grooved and produces vertical ridges or plates as it ages. The bark's overall harsh aspect is enhanced by the scaly texture of these ridges. As the bark ages, its colour may get darker and even take on a greyish-brown hue. The size of the plates, or ridges, varies; older trees have larger, more noticeable ridges than younger trees. In general, Taxus wallichiana bark is smooth and reddish-brown at first, but it eventually develops deep vertical ridges or plates that give the bark a furrowed appearance as the tree matures. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The winter buds are distinguished by a few special characteristics. Early in the spring, the covering scales on these buds fall off. Depending on their age and location on the branch, they can vary in size and have a triangle-like shape with rounded ends. The buds themselves range in hue from reddish-brown to dark brown. Every bud has scales covering it, some of which may have lines running through them, giving the bud a textured appearance. Along the bud, the scales are organized in a spiral arrangement. These buds, which are tiny in relation to the branch they are on, aid in shielding the developing leaves and blossoms. |
| Leaf Description |
| Loth Salla has long, thin leaves that can have a linear or lanceolate shape. They measure between 15 and 35 millimetres in length and 2 and 4 millimetres in width. They have a lustrous, dark-green tint. Every leaf progressively thins to a cuspidate or acuminate point at the apex. There's a smooth margin all the way around the leaves. Because of the leaf's leathery nature, veins are barely noticeable. The plant is a popular choice for gardens and landscapes because of its overall beautiful and polished appearance, which is attributed to these leaves. |
| Flower Description |
| Taxus wallichiana has little, barely noticeable blossoms that usually have a diameter of 3 to 6 millimetres. Being dioecious, which means that the male and female flowers are borne on different plants, gives them a special structure. The male flowers are globular to oval in shape, with many stamens encircled by tepals, which resemble petals and are often yellowish to reddish-brown in hue. The anatomy of female flowers is identical, but in the middle of the flower is a tiny, green ovary. Male and female flowers usually appear on the same plant during springtime flowering, but because Taxus wallichiana is dioecious, pollination requires both male and female plants. The main source of pollen for Taxus wallichiana flowers is the wind, since air currents scatter the pollen. All things considered, Taxus wallichiana flowers are modest but vital to the plant's reproductive cycle. |
| Fruit Description |
| The highly modified berry-like fruit of Taxus wallichiana is produced. Its diameter is usually about 1 centimetre. The fruit has an oval or slightly flattened shape, and around a single dark brown seed is a single scale that develops into a soft, juicy crimson aril. Birds drawn to the juicy aril of these fruits, which grow on female plants individually or in bunches, frequently scatter them. Inside the fruit, the seed is protected and fed by the aril that encloses it, helping to develop the embryo. Overall, Taxus wallichiana fruit is vital to the plant's ability to reproduce and acts as a vehicle for the spread of seeds. |
| Colour Description |
| Taxus wallichiana is variably coloured throughout. Even in the winter, its shiny, dark-green leaves maintain their colour. The needles are tiny, shiny, dark green, and range in length from 15 to 35 millimetres and width from 2 to 4 millimetres. The bark can break off in thin scales or peel off in strips, ranging in colour from greyish brown to reddish or purplish. Its fruit contrasts with the green foliage, resembling a scarlet or orange berry surrounded by a dark brown seed. Male cones are yellowish to reddish-brown, whereas female cones have an orange or crimson aril; the flowers are not clearly visible. Overall, Taxus wallichiana is visually appealing due to its variety of green leaves, various bark colours, and bright fruit. |
| Texture Description |
| Typically feels rough, smooth, and fine. The soft, slender leaves give the plant a delicate appearance. The trunk bark can occasionally be rough or uneven. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Loth Salla is a unique kind of tree found in London, England's Royal Botanic Gardens. |
| Propagation |
| This tree's seeds should be planted in the fall, when the mature red fleshy coating around the seeds becomes visible. After that, collect and wash the seeds. To assist in getting rid of anything that might be preventing them from developing, soak them in water for a day. We can use a knife or piece of sandpaper to carefully score the seed's outer shell to promote better seed sprouting. Next, place the seeds in a moist medium (such as sand or peat moss) and refrigerate for three to four months at a low temperature (around 4°C or 39°F). Stratification is this procedure that aids in thawing the dormant state of the seed. After the stratification period is over, sow the seeds in early spring in soil that drains well, and we should see them begin to sprout. After the stratification period is over, sow the seeds in early spring in soil that drains well, and we should see them begin to sprout. We need to wait until late spring or early summer to cultivate Loth Salla from cuttings. Select robust, healthy shoots, cutting them into parts that are between 10 and 15 cm long. Ensure that every piece has two or more locations where leaves or buds can grow. Take off the bottom leaves from the cutting and immerse the cut end in a rooting hormone solution to promote the formation of roots. After that, put the cuttings in a well-draining mixture of perlite and peat moss. Place them in a warm, muggy area that receives partial sunlight. Do not let the soil get too wet. The roots should begin to grow in 6–8 weeks. When they do, you can gradually acclimate the cuttings to being outside by moving them into different containers. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Taxus wallichiana (Loth Salla) has been used historically and currently for a variety of applications. Different portions of the plant have been used medicinally by local communities in areas where it grows historically to cure conditions like fevers and joint discomfort. Furthermore, its timber has been employed in tool making and construction. Research and investigation into the plant's pharmacological advantages have expanded in the modern era due to growing interest in its possible medical benefits, especially in the treatment of cancer. To guarantee that the species is available for both traditional and modern usage, conservation activities are necessary as unsustainable harvesting practices pose a threat to the future of the species. |
top