• Photo of Picrasma quassioides (Picrasma quassioidess)

Plant Profile: Picrasma quassioides

Taxonomy: Picrasma quassioides

Names

Indian Quassiawood

  • Photo of Picrasma quassioides (Picrasma quassioidess)

Phonetic Spelling:pik-rass-ma kwash-ee-OY-deez

Genus:Picrasma

Species:ailanthoides

Family:Simaroubaceae

Indian Quassiawood is a deciduous tree or shrub indigenous to southern Asia, belonging to the Quassia family. It typically reaches heights of 30 to 50 feet and spreads between 20 to 25 feet. In the spring, it showcases clusters of small flowers that range from green to yellow-green, measuring 3 to 6 inches in size. These blossoms give way to clusters of berry-like drupes that transition from red to black in the fall. During this season, the leaves display vibrant hues of yellow, orange, and red.

This tree thrives in moist, well-drained soils and prefers locations with full sun to partial shade. It is versatile enough to grow in both sandy and clay loam conditions. Indian Quassiawood can be utilized as a small shade tree or as a standout specimen, appreciated for its beautiful foliage, drupes, and striking fall colors.

Picrasma quassioides Feature Summary

Picrasma quassioides Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#tree

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Picrasma quassioides Feature Summary

Attributes
An extracted from the bark and used as a substitute for hops in beer making. Bark or wood used to make an insecticide.
China, Japan, Korea
buds used to make tea
Fruit
Flowers
Yellow-green flowers with 4-5 petals in 3-6 inch long cymes in May
7 - 20 petals/rays
> 6 inches
Leaves
Compound leaves with 7-15 leaflets, margins irregularly toothed. 1-4 inches long by .5-1.5 inches wide. Orange/Red/yellow fall color
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Orange
Red/Burgundy
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
> 6 inches
Bark
Smooth dark grey-brown bark
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Asian Garden
Shade Tree
Specimen

Picrasma quassioides Attributes

Picrasma quassioides: Uses (Ethnobotany)

An extracted from the bark and used as a substitute for hops in beer making. Bark or wood used to make an insecticide.

Picrasma quassioides: Country Or Region Of Origin

China, Japan, Korea

Picrasma quassioides: Edibility

buds used to make tea

Picrasma quassioides: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Picrasma quassioides Fruit

Picrasma quassioides: Fruit Description

Red pea shaped fruit

Picrasma quassioides: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Picrasma quassioides: Fruit Color

grass
Red/Burgundy

Picrasma quassioides: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Picrasma quassioides Flowers

Picrasma quassioides: Flower Description

Yellow-green flowers with 4-5 petals in 3-6 inch long cymes in May

Picrasma quassioides: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Green

Picrasma quassioides: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Picrasma quassioides: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Picrasma quassioides: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Picrasma quassioides: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Picrasma quassioides Leaves

Picrasma quassioides: Leaf Description

Compound leaves with 7-15 leaflets, margins irregularly toothed. 1-4 inches long by .5-1.5 inches wide. Orange/Red/yellow fall color

Picrasma quassioides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Picrasma quassioides: Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Orange

Picrasma quassioides: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Orange
spa
Red/Burgundy

Picrasma quassioides: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Picrasma quassioides: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Picrasma quassioides: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Picrasma quassioides: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Picrasma quassioides: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Picrasma quassioides Bark

Picrasma quassioides: Bark Description

Smooth dark grey-brown bark

Picrasma quassioides Whole Plant Traits

Picrasma quassioides: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Picrasma quassioides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Picrasma quassioides: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Picrasma quassioides Cultural Conditions

Picrasma quassioides: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Picrasma quassioides: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Picrasma quassioides: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Picrasma quassioides: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Picrasma quassioides: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Picrasma quassioides Stem

Picrasma quassioides: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Picrasma quassioides Landscape

Picrasma quassioides: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Picrasma quassioides: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Picrasma quassioides: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland