Tribe Aleuritideae Rank Species | Subfamily Crotonoideae Higher classification Vernicia | |
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Similar Vernicia, Euphorbiaceae, Vernicia fordii, Aleurites, Sapium discolor | ||
Vernicia montana, the mu oil tree, is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam), southern China, and Taiwan. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height 20 metres (66 ft).
The leaves are large with three lobes. The monoecious white-petaled flowers emerged as inflorescences, containing both male and female flowers. The 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) fruit is a globular drupe with wrinkled skin that turns from green to yellow upon ripening. Each fruit contains 3 seeds, rich in oil.
Cultivation and uses
Vernicia montana is grown mostly for the seeds from which varnish is made similar to the tung tree. The oil is prized as a wood finish. Preferring well drained, sandy soil the trees are grown on hillside plantations in northern Vietnam. In nature, V montana can be found at the margins of primary forests.
The wood is also harvested.
