Japanese name: トウグミ（唐茱萸、唐胡頽子） Scientific name:Elaeagnus multiflora var. hortensis
[Overview]
A deciduous small tree.
Young branches and petioles are densely covered with pale brown scales.
Leaves are simple and alternate; those at the base of long shoots and short shoots are small and become larger toward the branch tips.
The leaves are elliptic; the upper surface has no scales from the start and is densely covered only with stellate hairs that fall early.
The underside has dense silvery scales, mixed with brown scales on the leaves at the base of the branch.
The leaf margin is entire.
The petiole is 0.2–0.6 cm long.
Flowers are solitary in the leaf axils, and there are male and bisexual flowers.
The flowers have no petals and are pale yellow, with a tubular calyx that is 4-lobed at the tip.
The fruit is an elliptic false fruit about 1.5 cm long and 1 cm across that ripens red, and hangs on a stalk 2.5–5 cm long.
[Uses]
The fruit is sweet and edible, and is also used medicinally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, fertile soil.
Avoid extremely dry places.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a spell of sunny weather and the soil dries out.
Apply organic fertilizer around the plant as fertilizer in winter, and also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil in autumn.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
