Xanthoceras sorbifolium, commonly known as Yellowhorn, is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae family. It can reach a height of up to 5 meters. The branches are stout and reddish-brown, while the leaf petioles can grow up to 30 centimeters long. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, slightly asymmetrical on both sides, with pointed tips and wedge-shaped bases. They have sharp serrated edges, and the top leaflet is usually deeply lobed. The upper surface of the leaves is dark green, while the lower surface is light green, with sparse hairs or tufted star-shaped hairs along the midrib.

The flowers of Yellowhorn are dioecious, with male and female flowers borne on separate plants. The inflorescence of bisexual flowers is terminal, while the male inflorescence is axillary and erect. The flowers have short pedicels and white petals with reddish-purple or yellow bases. The disc appendages are orange-yellow and horn-shaped, and the stamens are without hairs. The fruit is a capsule that can reach up to 6 centimeters in length, and the seeds are glossy black.

Yellowhorn blooms in spring and bears fruit in early autumn. It thrives in sunny or semi-shaded environments and exhibits strong adaptability to various soil conditions, including poor and saline-alkali soils. It is highly resistant to cold, able to withstand temperatures as low as -41.4℃. Yellowhorn is also highly drought-tolerant but sensitive to waterlogging and wind damage. It can be grown in rocky mountainous areas, loess hills, lime alluvial soils, and stable or semi-stable sandy regions.

Yellowhorn is distributed in northern and northeastern China, ranging from Ningxia and Gansu in the west to Liaoning in the northeast, and from Inner Mongolia in the north to Henan in the south. It grows wild on hillsides and is also commonly cultivated in various regions. It is a unique edible oil tree species in China.

Morphological characteristics:

Yellowhorn is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach a height of 2-5 meters. The branches are stout, reddish-brown, and hairless. The terminal and lateral buds are arranged in a imbricate pattern. The leaf petioles are 15-30 centimeters long. The leaves consist of 4-8 pairs of membranous or papery leaflets, which are lanceolate or nearly ovate in shape. They are slightly asymmetrical on both sides, measuring 2.5-6 centimeters in length and 1.2-2 centimeters in width. The tips are gradually pointed, and the bases are wedge-shaped. The edges are sharply serrated, and the top leaflet is usually deeply divided into three lobes. The upper surface of the leaflets is dark green, hairless or with sparse hairs along the midrib, while the lower surface is bright green and covered with velvety and tufted star-shaped hairs when young. The lateral veins are slender and slightly raised on both surfaces. The inflorescence emerges either before or at the same time as the leaves. The inflorescence of bisexual flowers is terminal, while the male inflorescence is axillary, measuring 12-20 centimeters in length and erect. The total flower stalk is short, with remnants of bud scales at the base. The flower stalks are 1.2-2 centimeters long, and the bracts are 0.5-1 centimeter long. The sepals are 6-7 millimeters long, covered with grayish hairs on both surfaces. The petals are white with distinct veins, about 2 centimeters long and 7-10 millimeters wide, with hairs on both sides of the claw. The disc appendages are orange-yellow and horn-shaped, measuring 4-5 millimeters long. The stamens are about 1.5 centimeters long and without hairs. The ovary is covered with grayish hairs. The fruit is a capsule that can reach up to 6 centimeters in length, and the seeds are about 1.8 centimeters long, black, and glossy. Yellowhorn flowers in spring and fruits in early autumn.

Growth habits:

Yellowhorn thrives in sunny environments but can tolerate partial shade. It exhibits strong adaptability to different soil conditions, including poor and saline-alkali soils. It is highly resistant to cold, with the ability to safely overwinter at temperatures as low as -41.4℃. It is extremely drought-tolerant and can even survive in areas with an annual rainfall of only 150 millimeters. However, Yellowhorn is not tolerant of waterlogging and wind damage, so it is not suitable for planting in poorly drained low-lying areas, heavily salt-alkali soils, and unstable sandy areas.

Geographical distribution:

Yellowhorn is native to the northern regions of the Loess Plateau in China. Its natural distribution ranges from 32° to 46° north latitude and 100° to 127° east longitude, including the western parts of Liaoning and southwestern Jilin provinces in the northeast, Anhui and southern Henan provinces in the south, and Shandong and Gansu/Ningxia in the east and west. It is concentrated in Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Gansu, and other provinces, with smaller populations in Liaoning, Jilin, Henan, and Shandong. Large areas of cultivated plantations can be found in southern Heilongjiang, Jilin, Ningxia, and other regions. Yellowhorn can be found at altitudes ranging from 52 to 2, 260 meters, or even higher. It can adapt to various habitats, including grassy dunes, fallow land, stony mountains, loess hills, gullies, and even cliffs. It has been extensively cultivated in many northern regions of China, such as Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hebei.

Main value:

Yellowhorn has an elegant tree shape with large and densely packed inflorescences, making it visually appealing. It can be planted individually or in groups in parks, gardens, and green spaces. Yellowhorn is an excellent tree species for windbreak and sand fixation, small watershed management, and desertification control. In the forestry development plan from 2006 to 2015 by the State Forestry Administration, Yellowhorn has become the preferred tree species for the Three-North Shelterbelt Program. Additionally, Yellowhorn is a unique edible oil tree species in China.

   

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