Japanese name: キタレクシルム スピノスム Scientific name:Citharexylum spinosum
[Overview]
A shrub to tall tree reaching 16 m in height.
It changes between deciduous and evergreen depending on the climate.
The leaves are simple and opposite, ovate to elliptic, 4–30 cm long and up to 11 cm wide, and entire.
The leaves turn orange before they fall.
It can flower all year round if the temperature allows, but in Japan flowering is most common from spring to summer.
Racemes about 40 cm long hang down from the leaf axils and bear many small white flowers.
The corolla is 5-lobed.
The flowers have a strong fragrance.
The fruit is spherical, 7–10 mm across, and changes from green to red to black as it ripens.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil, but direct summer sun can cause leaf scorch.
In winter, bring it indoors to a sunny place and keep it at 10°C or higher.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; in winter keep it on the dry side.
From spring to autumn, apply slow-release fertilizer about once a month.
Pests and diseases include aphids and spider mites.
