Dalbergia hupeana Seeds | Hubei Rosewood
LATIN NAME: Dalbergia hupeana
COMMON NAME: Hubei Rosewood
Plant Profile
Among the ornamental and useful plants raised from seed, Hubei Rosewood (Dalbergia hupeana) stands out as a handsome, deciduous tree in the pea family, native to central and eastern China, while it is prized for its fine, dense timber. The Hubei rosewood is a handsome, deciduous tree of warm forests, and its fine, compound foliage and its valuable, dense, dark timber have made it one of the most prized of the fine-wood trees of the region. At maturity it stands about Fifteen metres. During flowering it gives bees and other insects a dependable food source. Each of these traits is modest on its own; together they make a garden-worthy plant.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Dalbergia hupeana ranges from the botany of the pea family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. The Hubei rosewood has a real and distinguished place in the research. From a research perspective, species of this kind are valuable material for work on propagation and on the selection of uniform lines.
Uses & Benefits
In the garden, Hubei Rosewood earns its place in borders, containers and mixed plantings, and it also rewards growers who raise plants for cutting, drying or kitchen use. Ecologically, the Hubei rosewood is a generous tree of the garden. Its clusters of small, white, pea-like flowers feed bees and many insects, and its fine, compound foliage gives a light, airy shade and a cover to birds through the summer. Because wild tree has been under pressure, it is best grown with care, and sustainable cultivation of rosewoods has been of greatest importance. Once it has settled, the workload drops to almost nothing.
Rosewoods yield the world’s most coveted furniture timber and aromatic heartwood oils; in Chinese medicine the heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera, Jiang Xiang, is a classical herb for blood stasis.
Growing from Seed
Starting Hubei Rosewood from seed is simple and satisfying. Sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly into a loose, well-drained seed compost, water in gently, and keep the sowing in bright light with steady moisture. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
Hubei Rosewood repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
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