Red machilus is an evergreen tree of the laurel family from the warm coasts of Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. It doesn't grow wild in the US, but it is planted as an ornamental, especially in the Southeast. It's also called Japanese bay tree or tabunoki.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A sturdy evergreen usually 30–65 ft (10–20 m) tall; large wild trees can reach about 80 ft (25 m). Young trees are narrow and columnar, becoming rounder with age.
- Leaves
- Leathery leaves 3–6 in (7.5–15 cm) long, glossy bright green above and pale whitish green beneath. New growth flushes red or bronze in spring.
- Flowers
- Small, fragrant, yellowish-green flowers appear in spring in clusters at the branch tips.
- Fruit
- Round fruits about 0.4 in (1 cm) across, ripening from green to purple-black in summer or fall.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Coastal forests
- Parks and gardens
- Range
- Native to Japan (Honshu to the Ryukyus), southern Korea, coastal China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In the US it is found only in cultivation.
- Preferred conditions
- Prefers coastal areas and tolerates salty soil. In its native range it grows in moist evergreen forests from sea level up to at least 2,400 ft (730 m).
Growing it
- Care
- Often sold as Machilus. Hardy to about USDA zone 7. In the US it is grown mostly in the Southeast and also in some western states.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- In Japan, powder from the bark (makko) has long been used as a binder for incense and mosquito coils.
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