NAME IN ENGLISH: KOWHAI TREE
BOTANICAL NAME: SOPHORA JAPONICA OR STYPHNOLOBIUM JAPONICUM
It is native to China and was introduced to Japan.
It is a deciduous tree.
It has a layered crown.
The leaves are pinnately compound.
The trunk has uninterrupted ridges.
The flowers are yellowish white. They are edible and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The fruit is a narrow pod. It contains the alkaloids cytisine, N-methylcytisine, sophocarpine, matrine and stizolamine.
It grows up to 12-13 metres.
It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
It is also used in wood construction.
