Quercus variabilis Chinese cork oak (Fagaceae) Deciduous tree

Browse Plants Articles

Power Search!

Browse Botanic Names

Sponsored By KhorWills

Quercus variabilis
Chinese cork oak
Deciduous tree
(1 Page of 5)

The Quercus variabilis plant species is found in E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea. It is a member of the Fagaceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Chinese cork oak. Some home gardeners know the variety as Q. bungeana. Q. chinensis. non Abel.

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Quercus variabilis
Common Name:  Chinese cork oak
Family:  Fagaceae
Author:  Bl.

Known Hazards:  None known

Mature Height:  30   Mature Width:

Habitat:  Mixed woods, occasionally in pure stands, 800 - 1600 metres in W. China[109].

Edible Uses: Seed - cooked[105, 177]. Very nutritious, but it needs to be leached[179]. The seed is up to 2cm long[200]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute.

For further Quercus variabilis gardening information
click on one of the blue links below

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
View their bibliography
Useful Edible Plants Future