Vernicia montana

Cultivation Details

A plant of the subtropics and tropics, in tropical areas it is usually grown at elevations from 800 - 2,000 metres. It grows best in areas that are frost-free, with an average annual temperatures in the range 15 - 27°c; and where the mean annual rainfall is 850 - 2,000mm^[1]. The plants requirement for low temperatures in order to initiate flowering is less than that of Vernicia fordii^[1]. Prefers a slightly acid soil, tolerating a pH in the range 5.5 - 8^[1]. Adequate soil fertility is needed for good production. It is often grown on slopes, but grows well on flat land provided it is well-drained^[1]. Harvesting by manual collection of the fallen fruits is the most common method, but in China green fruits are also picked from the trees^[1]. Careful selection of clones can extend the harvesting season. During the rainy season, fruits should be collected every 10 days, and during the dry season about once a month^[1]. Average yields of seeds are 3.5 tonnes per hectare in China and 1.8 tonnes in Malawi. In Malawi annual yields of air-dry seed of the best clonal material gradually increase from 280 kg/ha in 3 - 6-year-old plantations to 2.200 kg/ha in 11 - 14-year-old plantations and 3,000 kg/ha in 20-years-old plantations; yields of plantations of unselected seedling material are about half these amounts^[1]. Plantations with a close planting system reach maximum production at an earlier age, but the maximum yields are the same as those from trees that are more widely spaced^[1]. Regular weeding around the plants is needed for ease of harvesting^[1]. In hedgerow systems, pruning and training are recommended to obtain a frame of a few main branches and open crown^[1]. There are two main forms of this species, recognized in Malawi as types A and B. Similar types are also recognized in Indonesia as the Indo-China type and the China type:- Type A is a fast-growing tree with a tall, straight trunk forming tiers of 5 spreading branches at regular intervals. Secondary branches form at relatively long intervals. The trees take 3 - 5 years to come into bearing^[1]. Type B is more shrub-like. When the main stem has produced 1 or 2 tiers of branches, it loses its dominance. Secondary branches are formed at short intervals. The trees come into bearing after 3 years. Several high-yielding vigorously growing clones have been selected from this form^[1]. This species can hybridize with Vernicia fordii in the wild^[1]. Occasionally monoecious, but more normally a dioecious species, in which case both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required^[1].