Osmoxylon lineare (miagos bush)

Japanese name: オスモキシロン リネアレ
Scientific name: Osmoxylon lineare

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub reaching about 1–1.5 m in both height and spread.
In its native habitat it grows along mountain streams, and mature plants reach 3 m in both height and spread.
The stems have no thorns.
The leaves are alternate in a spiral on the upper part of the stem, palmately divided almost to the base into 4–7 lobes.
The leaf lobes are linear, 13–20 cm long and 1–1.5 cm wide, pointed at the tip, hairless and glossy on the upper surface, with sparse, very low wavy serrations on the margin.
Compound umbels at the stem tips bear female and male flowers, both small and without petals.
The female and male flowers bloom at different times; the female flowers open first, and when the fruit forms, a flower stalk 3–3.5 cm long extends and male flowers bloom in the spherical inflorescence at its tip.
The fruit ripens black.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It is sensitive to cold, so bring it indoors to a sunny spot in winter.
It prefers well-drained, fertile, moist soil.
If the drainage is good, it is little affected by sunlight or soil conditions.
A sunny place is suitable, but strong direct summer sun may scorch the leaves, so it may be moved to bright shade in summer.
It tolerates shade.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; keep it on the dry side in winter.
From spring to autumn, apply slow-release fertilizer or liquid fertilizer.
It grows into a dense mound even without pruning.
Pests and diseases include aphids, scale insects and spider mites.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)