Neolitsea sericea

Species is in the laurel or Lauraceae family and is native to Japan, China (Zhejiang), Korea and Taiwan. The species has historically been associated with Buddhism, and is locally honored as the ‘Buddhism tree’.

• Trees are up to 15 m in height; young branches and petiole are densely covered in silky golden yellow pubescence, later are green and glabrous.
• Leaves are evergreen, dioecious, elliptical to lanceolate-elliptical, 8-18 cm long and 3-7 cm wide, tri-veined from the base, densely covered in yellowish pubescence when young, later glabrous, with whitish underside, 2-3 cm long petiole.
• Flowers are yellow in autumn, in groups of 4-5 in lateral or auxiliary umbels, male ones with 6 fertile stamens.
• Fruit is ellipsoidal, red, & 12-15 mm long.