Requires a deep rich soil and a sunny position. Tolerates drought, atmospheric pollution, salt and limestone soils. A very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to about -30°c. A very ornamental but slow growing tree, it rarely flowers in Britain, requiring more summer heat than it usually gets here. Trees in the wild seldom live longer than 100 years. The tree has a light canopy so does not cast much shade, making it a good tree to use for the top canopy of a woodland garden. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Unlike most members of the Leguminosae, his species does not form nodules of nitrogen-producing bacteria on the roots.

Seedpod - raw or cooked. The roasted seeds can be eaten like sweet chestnuts. The pulp is sweet. A flavor like caramel. The pods are up to 25cm long and 5cm wide. The roasted seed is a caffeine-free coffee substitute. A bitter flavor. Thorough roasting for at least 3 hours at 150°c is necessary in order to destroy the poisonous hydrocyanic acid that is found in the seed. Seed - roasted and eaten like a nut. The seed contains toxic substances, see notes above.

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. The seed can also be sown in early spring in a greenhouse. Scarification and pre-soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water, especially if it has been stored, will improve germination. Make sure the seed has swollen after soaking, soak it again if it has not and, if it still does not swell, try filing away some of the seedcoat but be careful not to damage the embryo. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into fairly deep individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection against the cold for their first couple of winters outdoors Root cuttings 4cm long and 1cm thick in a greenhouse in December. Plant the roots horizontally in pots. Good percentage.

Prefers deep rich soils in bottomlands, deep ravines and moist lower slopes.