Morus cathayana

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Flowering period: Spring (although not impressive)

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 15m

Eventual Spread: 10m

Hardiness: 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a

Family: Moraceae

Morus cathayana, commonly known as Hua Sang, is a relative of the Mulberry. It is a deciduous small tree with an upright spreading habit. Morus cathayana is native to regions of China, Japan and the Korean peninsula. In its native habitat it grows in thickets and moist woods on the sunny slopes of mountains. Its typical leaves are mid green and heart shaped, however, its leaves associated with vigorous young growth have deep lobing. Its bark is pale grey, initially smooth, becoming fissured with age. Its flowers are in the form of catkins and are followed by a fleshy aggregate white/ red/ or purple fruit. These fruit are attractive to birds and mammals. Morus cathayana may be used as an unusual specimen tree. Necessary pruning should only be carried out during the winter months as this tree bleeds badly when cut.

Morus cathayana (28/07/12, Kew Gardens, London)

Morus cathayana leaf associated with vigorous young growth (28/07/24, Kew Gardens, London)

Morus cathayana Bark (28/07/12, Kew Gardens, London)

Landscape Architecture

Ficus lyrata

Ficus lyrata (28/02/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to bright indirect

Soil: Moist, well drained

Flowering period: N/A

Eventual Height: 15m

Eventual Spread:  10m

Hardiness: 11, 12, 13

Family: Moraceae

Ficus lyrata is an evergreen tree with an upright habit. Its dark green glossy leaves are ovate with entire margins, emerge directly from the stem, up to 45cm long and 30cm broad (although usually smaller). Its flowers are insignificant. Its green fruit is a spherical fig and up to 3cm across.

Ficus lyrata, commonly known as Fiddle Leaf Fig or Banjo Fig, is native to West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Cameroon west to. In its native habitat it grows in lowland tropical rainforest. It should be noted when the stems of this plant are cut the plant exudes a milky sap which may cause skin irritation.

The etymological root of the binomial name Ficus is from the Latin name for the edible fig. Lyrata is derived from the Latin lyra meaning ‘lyre’, in reference to this plant’s leaf shape.

Ficus lyrata may be useful to the landscape architect as a large foliage houseplant. It may be used in atrium and conservatory type planting schemes. This plant dislikes cold drafts.

Ecologically, Ficus lyrata is of little value to UK wildlife.

The Royal Horticultural Society have given Ficus lyrata their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993.

Ficus lyrata Leaf (28/02/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Ficus lyrata prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.

When maintaining  Ficus lyrata as a houseplant its soil should be watered regularly but never wet. Watering should be reduced during the winter months. Its preferred active growing temperature rages from between 15ºc to 24ºc, although it will tolerate a temperature as low as 12ºc. Feeding with weak fertiliser solution should be carried out once a month during the growing season. Old leaves may be removed to keep a tidy apearance. The removal of the top of the plant may be carried out to keep the height of this plant in check.



Landscape Architecture

Maclura pomifera

Maclura pomifera (19/09/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun  to partial shade

Soil: Moist, well drained

Flowering period: Mid summer

Eventual Height: 15m

Eventual Spread:  15m

Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Family: Moraceae

Maclura pomifera is a deciduous tree or large shrub with an upright/ pyramidal habit when young, becoming more open with age. Its glossy dark to mid green leaves are cordate with a sinuate margin, up to 12cm long and 6cm wide. Its leaves turn yellow in autumn before they fall. Its branches are green/ yellow to orange/ brown and are armed with thorns. Its trunk may achieve up to 3m in diameter. Its bark is a dark orange/ brown, shallowly fissured and often peels into long narrow strips. This tree is dioecious with the female inflorescence held in dense umbels of green flowers. The male are held in similar umbels of yellow flowers. Its fruit is sub globose, up to 15cm in diameter and composed of many tightly packed green drupes. Its lateral roots can grow at or above the soil level and the tap root can reach a depth of 8m.

Maclura pomifera Fruit (19/09/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the Osage Orange, Bois D’Arc or Bowwood, is native to south central USA. In its native habitat it grows in mixed woodland, thickets and open grassland. The plant is highly prized for its wood. Maclura pomifera is synonymous with Toxylon pommifera and Maclura aurantiaca.

The etymological root of the binomial name Maclura was named for William Maclure (1763-1840), a Scottish geologist known as the ‘father of American geology’. Pomifera is from the Latin meaning ‘fruit bearing’.

Maclura pomifera Leaf (19/09/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

The landscape architect may find Maclura pomifera useful as an interesting specimen tree with unusual fruit. It may be used as a hedging species with glossy green leaves. It may be used as a component of a maritime planting scheme.

Ecologically, Maclura pomifera is of little value in the UK.

Maclura pomifera Bark (19/09/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Maclura pomifera prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It tolerates maritime conditions.

Maclura pomifera requires little maintenance.

 



Landscape Architecture