Cultivation Details
A plant of tropical climates where it can be found from low elevations usually up to 2,400 metres, but exceptionally up to 3,900 metres[1]. It grows in areas where the mean temperature of the coldest month can be 0 - 5°c, and the hottest month 37 - 45°c[1]. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,400 - 5,000 mm[1]. Succeeds in a wide range of soils[1]. It usually prefers well-drained soils but has been observed in swamps and along rivers, and is not choosy about soil texture or fertility[1]. Plants can succeed in shade[1]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7[2, 3]. Trees may flower and fruit after 4 years. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year, but flowers are usually more abundant around the periods when seasons change[1]. Survival of planted out seedlings is almost 100%. In peninsular Malaysia, they are planted out at a spacing of 1.8 x 1.2 metres or 3.6 x 1.8 metres; resulting in almost double diameter increments for the wider spacing[1]. Early growth is comparatively slow, accelerating later[1]. The tree coppices easily[1]. The tree is fairly resistant to fire from the age of 5 years, when it can reproduce by coppice shoots[1].
Propagation
Seed - germinates freely when sown as soon as it is ripe[2]. Pre-soak stored seed for 12 hours in warm water (about body temperature) before sowing[2]. Germination rates vary considerably - fresh seeds give about 90% germination in 10 - 12 days, but in some seedlots there has been a germination rate of only 15% in 23 - 85 days[1]. Seeds are sown under shade and only lightly covered with soil. Seedling mortality in the nursery is usually about 50%. After 2 - 3 months seedlings are 5 - 8cm tall and can be transplanted from the seedbed to containers; at 6 - 8 months, when they are about 20cm tall, they can be planted out in the field, although stumps may be made of older seedlings[1]. Seed storage behaviour is recalcitrant; seeds cannot be stored and are short-lived in open storage at room temperature. Dried fruits or seeds can be stored for up to 3 months, although 1 record in Nepal shows that they can be stored for a long time without problems. There are 196 000-267 000 dry seeds/kg[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Schima+wallichii>
Pollinators
Data unavailable
References
- [1]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
- [2]Seed Leaflets — Various · Forest & Landscape. Denmark · http://en.sl.life.ku.dk/Publikationer/Udgivelser/PopulaerPublikationer.aspx?katid={D28373CC-6EF3-4EF8-B097-6D83FABF209E}&serieid={9F1C3DB1-6E7B-4CF1-AF53-F480B0CB40EF}&sort=title ↩︎A series of leaflets, jointly produced by the University of Copenhagen and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, focussing on seed information for a number species, but also giving a lot of other information about each plant.
- [3]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
- [4]Biotik, Laos — http://biotik.org/species_list_laos.html ↩︎Information on more than 100 species of Laotian trees.