Schisandra chinensis - Five Flavor Berry
Schisandra Berry, wu wei zi, or Magnolia Vine is one of the 50 herbs most valued in ancient Chinese medicine. The following video by the Medicine Hunter really does a nice job describing many of the health benefits and cultivation techniques of Schisandra.
Schisandra chinesis is best grown similar to grapes on a horizontal trellis. This can be seen quite clearly on the 1000 plus acres in the video. The vine can grow to 20 feet and lives for over 20 years! If it is not part of your permaculture system or your home garden, it is time to start planning to include it. That is what we have done here at Foxgreen Farms. Seaberry is still the major focus but as this year progresses you will see many new reaches into additional plants and we'll keep you up to date on the progress.
We have obtained a limited quantity of plants for sale!
The seedlings have been growing for 2 years and are 6-12" tall. We will ship them during the last 2 weeks in March, dormant and ready for planting in your location. They are hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit and will grow from US zones 4a thru 10b. Similar to Seaberries, they are typically dioecious and multiple plants are required for fruiting. When can you expect the plants to bear fruit for the first time? The answer is 3-4 years which is fairly ordinary for nearly any fruiting plant after it has been planted and cared for in your location. These vines will twist and wrap themselves around just about anything nearby. Here are a few suggestions for you when constructing your arbor. You don't want to make it too high so you can harvest the berries easily. A couple of sturdy posts with cross braces and wire between them will do the trick. Try something like this.
In this picture, the top cross braces have not yet been bolted on. Stake and protect the plants as they reach up to the wires. Cages or grow tubes will do the trick.
Plant ordering details will be revealed in the next few days. --Now available
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