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Tropicals, Woody > Trema > Trema orientalis > Trema orientalis

Trema orientalis


Indian Charcoal Tree; Pigeon Wood; Oriental Trema; Gunpowder Tree; Nalita




Origin:  South Africa, Southern and Eastern China, Australia.
Family
Cannabaceae
Genus
Trema
Species
orientalis
Category
Tropicals, Woody
Type
Tree (deciduous), Shrub (deciduous)
USDA Hardiness Zone
13b
Canadian Hardiness Zone
9a
RHS Hardiness Zone
H1a
Temperature (°C)
20 - 27
Temperature (°F)
68 - 75
Height
18 m
Spread
13 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
April
Landscape
Used as a screen, windbreak and in home gardens as it produces edible fruit and leaves. Can tolerate a hard pruning.
Cultivation
Will tolerate acidic to basic soil conditions but thrives in a light sandy loam. Will not tolerate waterlogged soil. Not urban tolerant.
Shape
Round canopy.
Growth
Fast
ID Characteristic
Long hairy twigs with lots of long, narrow pointy leaves attached.
Pests
No known pests or diseases.
Habitat
Rain forests.
Bark/Stem Description
New growth is smooth that roughens with age.
Flower/Leaf Bud Description
Small round buds that grow in clusters of 3.
Leaf Description
Rounded by the petiole, acute near the tips, serrated edges and alternate in arrangement.
Flower Description
Small white flowers.
Fruit Description
Tiny black berries, about 5 mm in diameter, that grow in small clusters along the stems.
Colour Description
Green foliage year-round with small patches of black berries and small white flowers on its stems. Light grey young bark with aged dark brown bark.
Texture Description
Soft.
Propagation
Propagation by cuttings.
Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer)
Used to make charcoal and paper. Research is currently underway to determine further medicinal uses of this tree.
References
Orwa C, A Mutua, Kindt R, Jamnadass R, S Anthony. (2009) Agroforestry Database: a tree reference and selection guide.
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