Translate this page:
Summary
Bignay or Antidesma bunuis is a small tropical bushy tree that is usually 3 - 6 m tall but can reach 15 -30 m high. It is also known as Chinese laurel, currant tree, and buni. It is a dioecious plant. In Asia, the dark green, long, narrow, and shiny leaves are commonly used for treating snakebites. The leaves and roots are used for traumatic injury. Bignay fruit is edible, usually eaten raw or cooked and used in jam, jellies and preserves. It is round in shape, small, juicy and has a sweet taste. Young leaves are also edible and commonly eaten raw in salads or steamed as a side dish. The bark produces strong fibre for rope and cordage. The hard, reddish timber is used for making cardboards. The bark contains a toxic alkaloid. Bignay is also used as an ornamental tree.
Physical Characteristics
Antidesma bunius is an evergreen Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Flies, insects. The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid, very alkaline and saline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Antidesma andamanicum Hook.f. Antidesma ciliatum C.Presl Antidesma collettii Craib Antidesma cordifo
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit Leaves
Edible Uses:
Edible portion: Fruit, Leaves, Spice/flavoring. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and used in jellies, preserves etc[ 301 ]. When fully ripe, the thin but tough-skinned fruit is juicy and slightly sweet[ 200 , 301 , 303 ]. The fruit is likened by some people to cranberries and is eaten mainly by children[ 303 , 307 ]. The round fruit is up to 8mm in diameter with a relatively large seed, it is used mainly for jams and jellies, though it needs extra pectin added for it to jell properly[ 298 , 303 ]. The fruit is carried in redcurrant-like clusters of 20 - 40 near the shoot tips[ 200 ]. Some tasters detect a bitter or unpleasant aftertaste, unnoticeable to others[ 303 ]. If the extracted bignay juice is kept under refrigeration for a day or so, there is settling of a somewhat astringent sediment, which can be discarded, thus improving the flavour[ 303 ]. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or steamed and used as a side dish with rice[ 301 , 303 , 307 ]. A slightly sour flavour, the leaves turn brown when cooked but retain their texture well[ 298 ]. They can be cooked with other foods in order to impart their sour flavour[ 301 ].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Tonic
The leaves are sudorific and employed in treating snakebite in Asia[ 303 ]. The leaves and roots are used as medicine for traumatic injury[ 266 ].
References More on Medicinal Uses
The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books
Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.
Edible Tropical Plants
Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
More
Edible Temperate Plants
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
More
More Books
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.
Shop Now
Other Uses
Fibre Paper Pioneer Shelterbelt String Wood
Other uses rating: Medium (3/5). Screening, Windbreaks, Public Open Space, Small Street Tree, Backyard Tree. Agroforestry Uses: A natural pioneer species, often common in the early stages of secondary forest succession and also invading marginal grassland[ 327 ]. The tree has occasionally been employed in reforestation projects[ 303 ]. This species seems to be an excellent choice as a pioneer for establishing a woodland, preferably used within its native range because of its tendency to invade habitats[ K ]. Other Uses The bark yields a strong fibre for rope and cordage[ 303 ]. The timber has been experimentally pulped for making cardboard[ 303 ]. The timber is reddish and hard. If soaked in water, it becomes heavy and hard[ 303 ]. Valued for general building, even though it is not very durable in contact with the soil and is also subject to attacks from termites[ 307 , 327 ].
Special Uses
Food Forest
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Grows best in the hot, humid tropical lowlands[ 200 , 335 ]. It thrives at elevations up to 1,200 metres in Java[ 303 ]. The tree is not strictly tropical for it has proved to be hardy up to central Florida[ 303 ]. Plants can tolerate occasional light frosts[ 335 ]. Grows best in a sunny position or light shade in a fertile, moisture-retentive soil[ 307 ]. Plants can succeed in a variety of soil conditions[ 335 ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 8[ 418 ]. Wind-protection is desirable when the trees are young[ 303 ]. An abundant and invasive species in the Philippines[ 303 ]. Trees can start producing fruit in 5 - 6 years from seed, or as little as 2 - 3 years from grafted plants[ 335 ]. The heavy fragrance of the flowers, especially the male, is very obnoxious to some people[ 303 ]. Plants are dioecious - there are separate male and female forms. However, female forms fruit freely even when there is no male present for pollination[ 200 ]. One male tree should be planted for every 10 to 12 females to provide cross-pollination[ 303 ].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
The PFAF Bookshop
Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).
Shop Now
Plant Propagation
Seed - Whenever the seeds are used, they need about one month of after-ripening and can then be sown under shade without pre-treatment[ 303 ]. Fresh seeds need pre-treatment with sulphuric acid for 15 min followed by soaking in water for 24 hours[ 303 ]. The viability is about 3 - 70%[ 303 ]. Depulped and dried fruits of A.bunius may be stored for 2 - 5 years in airtight containers without a serious decrease in seed viability[ 303 ]. Vegetative propagation is preferred because seedlings are of uncertain sex and they do not commence cropping for a number of years[ 303 ]. Greenwood cuttings. Air layering. Plants can begin producing when three years old[ 303 ]. Grafting.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Bignay or Antidesma bunuis. Other Names: Amati, Anepu, Ariyaporiyan, Bignai, Bol-aborak, Bor-heloch, Bugnay, Buneh, Buni, Chinese laurel, Currant Tree, Dieng-soh-silli, Herbert River cherry, Himalcheri, Huni, Kantjer, Karikoomma, Kunchur-kung, Nayikoote, Nolaiali, Noolitali, Pani heloch, Salamander tree, Somkongasing, Sonkong esing, Wuni.
Native Range
TEMPERATE ASIA: Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng,China. TROPICAL ASIA: Bangladesh, India, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh (south), West Bengal, Mizoram, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Andaman Islands), Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Brunei Darussalam, Christmas Island, Indonesia, Sulawesi, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, Philippines, Singapore, PACIFIC: United States, Hawaii, French Polynesia, Society Islands, AUSTRALASIA: Australia, Queensland,
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
May be weedy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
(L.) Spreng.
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
Readers comment
| Add a comment |
|
If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.
* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.
To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.
|
Subject : Antidesma bunius
|
|
|
|