Blue Sausage Fruit (Decaisnea fargesii)

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

None known

Fruit - raw^[1]^[2]. A sweet taste, but rather insipid^[3]. A very nice delicate flavour according to our palates[K]. The fruit looks like a bright blue sausage or broad bean pod[K] and is up to 10cm long^[7]. You peel off the skin in much the same way as you would peel a broad bean pod, this reveals a line of seed running the entire length of the fruit surrounded by a relatively thin layer of flesh[K].

Plant part: Fruit

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

None known

Environment

Range

E. Asia - W. China

Habitat

Moist woods and thickets to 1600 metres^[3]. Mixed forests, scrub on mountain slopes, wet area in ravines at elevations of 900 - 3600 metres^[9].

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

light shade

Water

moderate

Hardiness

Zone 5+

Soil textures

sandy, loamy, clay

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

Drought

intolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame^[7], it then usually germinates freely in early spring[K]. Sow stored seed in February in a greenhouse. This usually germinates well, within 1 - 3 months at 18°c^[5]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on under protection for their first winter. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings.

Cultivation

An easily grown plant^[6] succeeding in most soils^[8], but it prefers a rich moist loamy soil and a sunny position sheltered from cold winds^[5]^[7]. Succeeds in partial shade^[7]. Prefers partial shade, succeeding in full sun if the soil is reliably moist^[8]. Dislikes drought[K]. A very cold-hardy plant when fully dormant, but the flowers and young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts^[4]^[7]. Plants usually fruit well and regularly in Cornwall^[4]^[10] and a specimen has been seen on a number of occasions at Kew Botanical gardens laden down with fruit[K]. The flowers are produced at the tips of the new upright growths in the spring^[4]^[8]. Plants take some years from seed to produce fruit^[8]. A very ornamental plant^[1]. It is fairly fast growing but it looks gaunt and open in the winter^[6]. Plants do not usually require pruning^[8]. In some new floras, this species is seen as no more than a synonym for D. insignis^[9].

References

F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

↩1 ↩2

Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

↩

Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

↩1 ↩2

Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

↩1 ↩2 ↩3

Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00

↩1 ↩2

Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2