Tetrapanax seed
LATIN NAME: Tetrapanax papyrifer
COMMON NAME: Rice-Paper Plant
The rice-paper plant holds the huge, deeply lobed leaves on the stout, upright stems, the creamy flower clusters above them, and the whole plant carries the bold, tropical look of the sheltered garden. The fast-growing, evergreen shrub or small tree carries the very large, deeply lobed, softly hairy leaves on the stout, upright stems, and the large, branched, terminal clusters of the many small, creamy-white flowers through the late autumn, one of the bold, bright sights of the sheltered garden, drawing the bees, to be followed by the small, round, black berries. The pithy stems have a very long record as the source of the fine, thin paper, and the plant is a historic presence of the sheltered garden. It is a plant of the sheltered, half-shaded, deep, rich, moist, well-drained ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The rice-paper plant is a historic subject of the plant science, and the pithy stems keep showing up in the work on the fast-growing shrubs. The way the thick, pithy core of the stems forms the fine, white layer used in the paper making has been studied at length, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the fast-growing shrubs, the lobed leaves and the members of the ivy family. The large leaves and the quick habit have also made it a fine study plant, and the rice-paper plant is a regular subject of the work on the pithy stems of the warm world.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
The rice-paper plant is a bold, useful plant of the sheltered garden and the study collection. The very large, deeply lobed, softly hairy leaves on the stout, upright stems carry the tropical look of the sheltered garden, one of the bold, bright sights of the sheltered garden, drawing the bees, and the pithy stems have a very long record as the source of the fine, thin paper, the fine, white pith coming to the delicate paper and the hand-made sheets of the old workshops, while the large, branched, terminal clusters of the many small, creamy-white flowers open through the late autumn, to be followed by the small, round, black berries. It is one of the fine choices for the sheltered garden, the large pot and the study collection, and it has been written about in the horticultural and the scientific papers for the pithy stems and the very long history. It is a bold, useful plant of the sheltered, half-shaded, deep, rich, moist, well-drained garden.
The rice-paper plant seeds like a fine, gritty mix kept steadily moist in a warm, bright spot. The young plants are fast once their roots take hold, and they appreciate a sheltered corner and the deep, rich, moist ground of the open garden.
To grow the rice-paper plant from seed, set the small, brown seeds on the surface of the pot of fine, gritty soil and press them in lightly, keep the pot in a bright, warm spot and water gently, then pot the young plants on as they fill the pot. The seedlings appear within a few weeks and grow on fast. With the shelter and the deep, rich, moist ground, the huge leaves will rise over the warm months.
Uses: medicine
Tetrapanax papyrifer/tong cao