In Hebei, Shanxi and many places in the mainland, there is a wild or cultivated species of tassel tree of the family Rhinoceros, which is characterized by deciduous shrubs or small trees, single-leaf opposites, leaves oblong, oval, ovate or inverted ovate, blooming in April, white flowers, corolla 4 deeply lobed to the base, lobes linear lanceolate, looking like "tassels", people often called fringe trees or April snow, with ornamental and other economic value. Today I will talk about some of the situations of this plant.
First, the botanical characteristics of fringe trees
1. Name and classification status
The fringe tree is an official Middle name, this name comes from the "Hebei Habit Tree Illustration"; there are many aliases, recorded as charcoal chestnut trees in the "Botanical Names and Facts"; in Fujian it is called late bark tree; in Anhui it is called Iron Yellow Wattle; in Yunnan it is called Niu JinziGuo; in Anhui it is called Glutinous Rice Flower; in Jiangsu and other places it is called April Snow and Oil Boy; in Shaanxi it is called White Cauliflower and Cow Tendon Strip; in plant taxonomy it belongs to the tassel tree genus of the Family Rhinoceros.
2, distribution and growth environment
Fringe trees are mainly produced in Gansu, Shaanxi, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan and all over the south of gansu in the mainland; they usually grow in sparse mixed forests, shrublands, hillsides, and rivers below 3000 meters above sea level.
3, appearance characteristics
One is a deciduous shrub or small tree, often 2-8 meters in height and up to 20 meters in large trees; the branches are gray-brown, unfolded, glabrous, and have obvious yellow-brown skin holes.
The second is single-leaf conjunctivity, the leaves are leathery, oblong, oval, ovate or inverted ovate lanceolate, 3-12 cm long, blunt and rounded at the apex, with fine serrations on the full edge of the leaf edge or the leaf edge of the young tree, petiole length of 1-2.5 cm, and short soft hairs on the surface.
The third is the apex of the polyumbelous conical inflorescence, 5-12 cm long; the flowers are unisexual, hermaphroditic, calyx 4 deeply lobed, lobed lanceolate, corolla white, 4 deep fissures, lobed linear lanceolate, 1-2 cm long, 2 stamens, flowering in March-June;
The drupes are oval, 10–15 mm long, blue-black when ripe, white in seeds, and ripe in June–November.
4, growth habits
Fringed trees like light, but also more shade-tolerant, like warm climate, slightly hardy, drought tolerance and avoid water and moisture, the soil requirements are not strict, like neutral and slightly acidic soil, barren and thin, have a certain salt and alkali tolerance, growth rate is relatively slow, less pests and diseases.
Second, the main use of fringe trees
First, ornamental tree species: tassel branches and leaves are dense, spring white flowers full of trees, pleasant flowers, far away to see the snow falling branches, autumn blue fruit bunches, trunks natural, very beautiful; it is a good flower, leaf, fruit tree species, since ancient times is a common ornamental tree species in the garden, garden.
Second, edible and medicinal tree species: tassel tree is a medicinal and edible dual-use tree species, its flowers and young leaves can make "glutinous rice tea", spring picking of young leaves, summer picking of flowers, after drying, you can use, brewed "glutinous rice tea", refreshing, unique flavor, has a role in quenching heat and thirst. According to research, the young leaves and flowers of tassel trees contain flavonoids, glycosides, lignans, coumarins, polysaccharides and other active ingredients, which have anti-allergic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and other pharmacological effects.
Third, the fruit of the fringed tree is rich in oil, can be squeezed aromatic oil, industrial use; its trunk is hard wood, dense and beautiful in texture, can be made of exquisite furniture and utensils; its seedlings can be grafted with lilacs and osmanthus trees.
In addition, the fringe tree is an ancient tree species that shows a light and subtle beauty, and has been the creative material of literati painters since ancient times, with cultural value.