Practical
Plants

Prinsepia uniflora

Rui Ren

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Prinsepia genus in the family Rosaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
1.8 m
Spread
3 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[1][2][6]. Juicy[8]. The cherry-like fruit is about 15mm in diameter and contains one large seed[10].

Plant part
Fruit

Environment

Range
E. Asia - N.W. China.
Habitat
Loess plateaux, areas intermediate between woodland and steppe. Sunny slopes, ravines in valleys, base of hills at elevations of 800 - 2200 metres[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best if given 2 months cold stratification[5]. Sow the seed in autumn if possible, otherwise in late winter or early spring in a cold frame in light shade. Germination may be inhibited by light[5]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle into individual pots. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[5].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun or light shade[10]. The plants produce flowers and fruits better when they are growing in full sun[10]. Hardy to about -20°c[9]. This species is closely allied to P. sinensis[4][3]. Flowers are produced very early in the spring and they are then easily damaged by frosts[4]. The flowers are produced on the previous seasons wood[10]. They are produced on old wood according to another report[7]. Plants only fruit in Britain after long hot summers[10].

References

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

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

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  3. Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.

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

    ↩1↩2

  5. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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

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  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  9. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

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  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

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