Can Golden Phoebe trees be planted in northern regions?

Golden Phoebe wood is a well-known precious timber, and its price on the market is very high. Quite a few growers want to plant Golden Phoebe, so can Golden Phoebe be planted in the north?

1. Can Golden Phoebe be planted in the north?

Golden Phoebe cannot be planted in the north, because the temperature in the north is too low, and Phoebe trees like a warm environment, so they cannot survive in the north. Generally speaking, north of the Qinhuai line is no longer suitable for planting Golden Phoebe.

2. Introduction to Golden Phoebe

Golden Phoebe is a precious timber unique to China. The representative species is Phoebe zhennan (scientific name: Phoebe zhennan S. Lee): originally called “Zhennan”. It is a large tree, up to more than 30 m tall, with a straight trunk. The branchlets are usually rather slender, angular or nearly cylindrical, covered with grayish yellow or grayish brown long soft hairs or short soft hairs. The leaves are leathery, elliptical, 7-11 cm long and 2.5-4 cm wide, glossy and hairless above or with soft hairs along the lower half of the midrib, densely covered with short soft hairs below; the cymose panicles are very spreading and hairy, each umbel has 3-6 flowers, and the flowers are medium-sized, 3-4 mm long. The fruit is elliptical, leathery, closely appressed, with short soft hairs on both sides or slightly pubescent outside. The flowering period is April-May, and the fruiting period is September-October.

Wild or cultivated; wild plants are mostly found in broad-leaved forests below 1500 m above sea level. It is mainly produced in Sichuan, western Hubei, Yunnan, Guizhou and provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River in China. According to records, among all Golden Phoebe, the Golden Phoebe from Sichuan has the best material quality. It is a national second-class protected plant in China,

The wood has a fragrance, straight grain and a fine, dense structure, and is not easy to deform or crack, making it an excellent timber for buildings, high-grade furniture and so on. Historically, Golden Phoebe was used exclusively for the buildings and furniture of royal palaces and a small number of temples. Golden Phoebe contains noticeably more crystals than ordinary Phoebe, and the wood surface glitters with golden light in the sun, with golden threads appearing and a light, elegant fragrance.

Golden Phoebe refers to certain Phoebe woods whose material shows golden threads and a silky luster. In the broad sense, Golden Phoebe refers to any Phoebe wood that shows golden threads; in ancient times, according to the traditional industry definition, Golden Phoebe referred to Phoebe sheareri, Phoebe zhennan and Phoebe bournei.

Golden Phoebe is not suitable for planting in the north. Hilly areas at around 1000 m above sea level in the south are the most suitable for planting Golden Phoebe. If growers want to plant Golden Phoebe, they might as well choose the south.