Alangium platanifolium Seeds | Sycamore-leaved Alangium
LATIN NAME: Alangium platanifolium
COMMON NAME: Sycamore-Leaved Alangium
Plant Profile
Sycamore-leaved alangium is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the dogwood family, native to East Asia from China to Japan. It grows three to ten metres, with large, maple-like, three- to five-lobed leaves and slender-petalled, fragrant white flowers in summer.
The flowers are followed by small dark drupes that hang in clusters in autumn. It is an understorey tree of the East Asian broadleaf forests, and in cultivation it keeps the loose, layered habit of a woodland plant. The bark is grey and smooth, and the branches are held in wide, horizontal layers. The plant flowers on the current year’s wood, so it can be pruned in late winter.
Science & Biotechnology
The genus has an unusual distribution, with species in Asia, Africa and the Pacific, and its placement has moved between families as DNA evidence accumulated; it is now usually placed in the dogwood family. Research has looked at the alkaloids in its roots and bark, which have been examined for their pharmacology.
Its pollination by insects attracted to the fragrant flowers has been described in Japan, and its leaf anatomy has been studied because the large leaves are adapted to shade. Taxonomic work has clarified the differences between the Asian species, which are easily confused in cultivation.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden it is grown as a foliage shrub for a woodland edge, where its large lobed leaves give a tropical look in a hardy plant. The flowers are small but strongly scented, and they are produced over several weeks in summer.
The roots and bark have a place in Chinese and Japanese medicine, and the wood is used for small implements. Its autumn colour is a soft yellow, and the dark fruit is taken by birds rather than by people.
It is also grown in large containers for a few years, where its bold foliage makes a statement on a shaded terrace, though it eventually needs a place in the ground. In the wild it is a plant of clearings and forest edges rather than deep shade.
Growing from Seed
Sow in autumn and stratify for three months, or sow fresh and leave outside; germination is often slow. Plant out in part shade in humus-rich, moist but drained soil, and mulch with leaf mould.
Protect young plants from late frost, which damages the new growth, and prune lightly in late winter to shape the shrub. Cut out any stems that die back in a hard winter, since the plant regrows from the base. A mulch of leaf mould each autumn keeps the roots cool, and the plant should be watered in dry spells until it is established. In a cold garden, grow it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.
Our Take
A foliage plant for shade, with leaves like a sycamore and a scent that carries across a garden in summer. It is uncommon, and it deserves to be better known.
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