Here is a plant possessed of some of excellent multi-season interest and yet it is rarely cultivateed. Its name is Idesia polycarpa. This unusual deciduous tree is a native of China, Japan, and Korea, and is noteworthy for its leaves and fruits. It is a hardy member of a mostly tropical plant family and it has a very tropical appearance. It has large, attractive leaves and a growth form which is more reminiscent of many tropical trees, rather than a cold hardy species. It has a straight, tapered trunk with smooth, light gray bark and widely spaced whorls of spreading, horizontal branches. The heart-shaped leaves are large, up to 12” across, are borne on pinkish petioles, and flutter from horizontal branches. Bronze at first, they turn dark green above and lighter green below in the summer. They turn yellow in the autumn. In spring or early summer long spikes of fragrant, yellowish-green male and female flowers are produced on different trees. One male tree is sufficient to pollinate many females in the area.
This medium-sized tree produces an abundance of bright red, globose berries that are in long, pendant clusters on the branches. The fruits ripen to purple and they persist on the tree in the winter. They look stunning on the pale gray, leafless branches in the winter. And not only are the fruits attractive, but they’re edible as well. They provide a bounty to wildlife. Idesia is not well known but is worth growing for its beautiful leaves and berries. It is easy to grow, tolerant of wind, heat, and drought, and has no significant pest or disease problems. It has a very fast growth rate and can grow up to 2 feet per year. It reaches a height of up to 50 feet tall by 25 feet wide. It prefers a neutral to slightly acid loamy soil, moist but well-drained. It succeeds in full sun or semi-shade. It is grown in Europe, most of the US and Australia and New Zealand.
Growing Instructions
1. Soak the seed in water for several hours.
2. The seeds like moist, well-drained soil. Prepare a mixture of half potting soil and half sand, perlite or vermiculite. Put the soil in a pot. Water the mixture so that it is moist but not wet.
3. Put the seeds on the soil.
4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
5. Water the seeds.
6. Place the pots in an area with warm temperatures in full sun or part shade.
7. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.