Sakaki

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This article is about the sakaki tree. For other uses see Sakaki (disambiguation).

iSakaki

Sakaki, Cleyera japonica

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Theaceae
Genus:	Cleyera
Species:	C. japonica

Binomial name

Cleyera japonica
Thunb.

Sakaki (Cleyera japonica) is a flowering evergreen tree or shrub native to warm areas of Japan, Korea and mainland China. It can reach a height of 10 m. The leaves are 6-10 cm long, smooth, oval, leathery, shiny and dark green above, yellowish-green below, with deep furrows for the leaf stem. The bark is dark reddish brown and smooth. The small, scented, cream-white flowers open in early summer, and are followed later by berries which start red and turn black when ripe. Sakaki is one of the common trees in the second layer of the evergreen oak forests.

Wands of Sakaki are used in Shinto ritual

The word sakaki may be etymologically derived from the nature of the sakaki as an "evergreen" or "always thriving tree" (sakaeru-ki), indicating prosperity or thriving, or from the use of the tree as a "border-tree" (sakai-ki) used to demarcate sacred space.

[edit] Uses

The wood is used for buildings, utensils, combs, turneries and fuel.

Sakaki is a sacred tree in the Shinto religion. Branches of sakaki are used in Shinto ritual, often with paper streamers (shide) attached, as offerings before the kami.