SPECIMENS OF CHINESE WAX-TREE.
Two beautiful specimens of the Chinese wax-tree (Ligustrum lucidum, variety floribundum) are growing in the Valetta Station garden, Ashburton County, now owned by Mr. H. S. Richards. These and other fine trees in this garden were planted by the late Hon. W. C. Walker, the former owner of the property. The Chinese wax-tree is the best known tree on which the wax-insects live. It grows to about 20 ft., the Valetta specimens being fully that height. These trees here flower in February and March,
bearing clusters of small white, sweet-scented flowers. According to “ Chinese Forest-trees,” the wood is very tough, and used for a variety of articles. In China the tree is bent when young, so that it assumes any shape, desired, and thus excellent hay-forks (all of one piece), frames for the backs of mules, on which packs are bound, handles of large baskets, walking-sticks, &c., are made from it. The Valetta specimens have numerous branches, and numbers of hay-forks could be obtained from them as stated. lam indebted to Mr. T. W. Adams, of Greendale, for identifying the tree and information regarding it. —C. Branigan, Fields Inspector, Ashburton.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XV, Issue 4, 20 October 1917, Page 215
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194SPECIMENS OF CHINESE WAX-TREE. New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XV, Issue 4, 20 October 1917, Page 215
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