About
A deciduous, twining climber with woody mature stems and slender, reddish, young shoots. Small, cup-shaped dark red flowers are produced on short stalks from the leaf axils in early summer. Leaves are dark green, lance-shaped to elliptic and slightly serrated. This listing denotes plants that bear female flowers, so if pollinated, these are followed by hanging clusters of small, round red berries.
About the genus
Schisandra are deciduous or evergreen, monoecious or dioecious, twining shrubs. Leaves are alternate on slender stalks. Flowers are solitary or in small clusters, borne in the leaf axils, and sepals and petals are indistinguishable. In female flowers the carpels are densely packed into a head, but as they ripen they elongate, eventually forming a spike several inches long
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectEast-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageDeciduous
Height8-12 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Tie in shoots of young plants until established. Plant both male and female plants to ensure fruit
PruningPruning group 12, in early spring
PropagationPropagate by seed, sown in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe, by softwood cuttings in early summer or by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free