Schisandra chinensis (magnolia vine, "Chosengomishi")

Japanese name: チョウセンゴミシ （朝鮮五味子）
Scientific name: Schisandra chinensis

[Overview]
A deciduous woody climber found in open woods and at forest edges in the mountains.
It is often found inland where rainfall is low.
The leaves are simple and alternate, long obovate to obovate, 4–10 cm long and 3–5 cm wide, with a sharply pointed tip and a base that narrows gradually into the petiole.
The upper surface of the leaf is sunken along the veins, and the veins on the underside often have papillate projections.
The leaf margin has low, wavy teeth.
The petiole is usually no more than 1/2 the length of the leaf, about 2–2.5 cm long, and often tinged with red.
It is dioecious.
Both male and female flowers are borne singly in the axils of scales at the base of the new shoots, hanging on flower stalks 2–3 cm long.
The flowers are cream-colored, 1 cm across, fragrant, with 6–9 tepals.
The fruit is a berry, gathered in clusters like bunches of grapes 5–6 cm long, ripening red.

[Uses]
The fruit is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings or layering.
Growing from seed is also possible, but plants raised from seed will turn out to be both male and female.
It prefers sun to partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil.
Take care not to let the soil become too wet when watering; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and for established plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil dries out.
For plants in the ground, no fertilizer is particularly needed if basal fertilizer is applied; for potted plants, apply slow-release fertilizer in spring and autumn.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

[Notes]
The Japanese name comes from the fact that it has the five flavors of the medicinal cuisine (yakuzen) classification: sweet, sour, pungent, bitter and salty (shio).

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