Appearance
The appearance of "Styrax japonicu"s ranges from a large shrub to a small tree.Naming
"Styrax japonicus" is a member of the Styracaceae family, with the authority of Siebold & Zuccarini. "Styrax" is a genus whose members produce aromatic resins. The Latin specific epithet "japonicus" means “from Japan”.The Japanese common name, egonoki, originates from how the fruit annoys the throat and tongue when put in the mouth — egui or egoi describes something that evokes a repulsive, bitter flavor.The masses of flowers present on a blooming tree lead to the pronounced prevalence and popularity of "S. japonicus" cultivars. It is thought that the tree's abundant flowers, along with its lavish foliage and striated bark, contributed to its successful introduction from Eastern Asia to Western gardens.
However, "S." "japonicus" has a relatively limited flowering period; a single flower has a blooming period of 4-5 days before wilting and a group of flowers last around 2 weeks, prompting studies investigating how to prolong the flowering period.
Distribution
"Styrax japonicus" is native to Korea, Japan, and Southern China. It has the largest distribution out of the members in the genus "Styrax." An attractive landscape tree, it can be found commonly within parks and gardens.Habitat
Generally pest-resistant and disease-resistant, weaker trees may be susceptible to the ambrosia beetle. It is cold hardy to −15 °C, with a classification of USDA hardiness zones ranging from 5-8, depending on the cultivation and provenance."S. japonicus" prefer acidic or neutral soil. They should be planted with full sun or part sun/part shade exposure, protection from cold and dry wind, and provided consistently moist soil.
There is no known threat to the conservation of the species. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants ranks "S. japonicus" as "Least Concern", last assessed in 2019.
Cultural
Along with its cultivation for ornamental use, "S. japonicus" has been used for its material and chemical contents. The hardwood was used to compose umbrella ribbing and pieces for shogi.The dried pericarp of young fruit has been used to make washing soap, due to saponin contents. It also contains large amounts of egosaponin, a poisonous agent that has been used in East Asian traditional fishing to stun fish and make them easier to catch.
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