Lacquer tree
Rhus species
Lacquer trees (Rhus verniciflua) are
cultivated for their sap, which is used to make a durable coating
called lacquer. The sap is so poisonous even its vapours can cause
extreme rashes, so here we have planted a close, but safe relative.
Lacquer can be polished to a high gloss, and the sap can be
coloured by adding the mineral cinnabar or carbon black to make red
and black.
Lacquer is used to coat a variety of objects. In a process that
can take at least a year, craft specialists may apply hundreds of
layers of lacquer to an object, to create depth and beauty. The
built-up surface can be carved with designs, or inlaid with
mother-of-pearl, or incised and filled with gold powder.
The seeds and leaves are used in Chinese medicine to treat
internal parasites and to stop bleeding.