Five Flavoured Berry – Schisandra Chinensis
PRANDINI’S GARDEN NURSERY CENTRE continues to research around the world, new species of plants with health giving properties as well as those esthetic, to cultivate easily in our gardens. This time, originally from the extreme South West of Russia and from the North East of China, we introduce the Schisandra (or Schizandra) Chinensis.Known and used as a medicinal plant, in its original countries for thousands of years, the Five Flavoured Berry is a climbing plant with a woody trunk. It is very contained and not invasive but if left to grow liberally it can reach 10 metres in height It has deciduous leaves, which are quite indented, small to medium sized and slightly meaty. They are a lovely shiny dark green colour, while in Autumn, before falling they take on a yellow orange colour.
The young branches are herbaceous with a colour the same as the leaves, while with time they transform to semi woody and brown coloured and reach a maximum diameter of a little more than a centimeter.
The Five Flavoured Berry (Schisandra Chinensis is comparable in the Summer to our Rhyncospermum jasminoides, commonly known as false jasmine and they also need a tutor or something to climb on as far as the vines and tendrils are concerned. These are from leaves which have modified their structure into similar corkscrew filaments which allow the plant to grab onto and sustain itself (among others are , vines, passion flower and wisteria). Specifically of the botanical group: Schsandraceae, but going up the classification, we discover that it belongs the Magnoliaopsida, the same in which we find the monumental Magnolia frequently in our gardens. A climbing plant which is very rustic, it tolerates and doesn’t succumb to temperatures below ten degrees. It enjoys being in the direct sun during the hottest hours of the day temperatures under ten degrees. It enjoys a position which is semi shade; in the shade they tend to have fewer flowers and consequently less fruit This is a characteristic common to most plants. With the emission of a stamp.
In 1998 Russia celebrated the Schisandra Chinensis.
TERRAIN
The Schisandra Chinensis can grow without problem in soil which is only a little fertile, poor and stony. It is important to maintain humidity, but it should also be well drained, it absolutely should not have any stagnant water , and if cultivated in pots, check that there are numerous holes for drainage, use a soil which is high drainage. They prefer if the soil tends to be acid, with a ph inferior of 7, but stand up well in surges of acid and calcium.
When you rear a Five Flavoured Berry you should pay attention to dripping tubes or streaming hoses when watering. A practical and valid trick is to build a light ‘mountain’ around the base of the plant. The plant grows very well in rich fertile soil, the Five Flavoured Berry produces long tendrils which intertwine between themselves rendering a webbed aspect and causing a small thinning out of the flowers and fruit. Flowers should be decapitated esthetically after Summer and at the time of fruit picking.
FLORA AND FRUITS
Waxy white, small, with very long stalks. not very showy, but perfumed, not very showy, but perfumed, these are the flowers which appear in early Spring. They are dioici flowers which means the stamen, reproductive organs have male pistils and female pistils they are not on the same plant on the same plant.
Until the Five Flavoured Berry fruits, you need to have a nearby male plant, Apart from this the flowers are not pollinated by insects but by the wind (entomofila) (anemofila pollination) contains pollen but not nectar and so it’s not attractive to insects.
From the flowers pollinated in Summer small bunches of minute sphere shaped green berries appear, similar to those of the redcurrant and quickly reach the size of a grape. With the passing of the warm Summer days, the berries transform from green to pale pink, towards the end of the season, into a shiny red rendering the bush a magnificent sight. If not picked, the berries stay on the plant for a long time, until the arrival of the cold and even after the falling of the leaves rendering the bush even more characteristic.
USE AND HEALTH GIVING PROPERTIES
Commonly known in its original country by the name Berry of Five Flavours, berries of the Schisandra Chinensis bring to mind when eaten sweet, savoury, spicy, bitter and pungent. It is used in many ways: you can produce a sweet wine in its original zone of Russia, as a spice to season meat, specifically game and fish. Used too in pastry baking, for syrups, non alcoholic drinks and jams.
All the parts of the plant, when scrapped, emit a pleasant perfume of lemon.
Is the plant with the most significant adaptogens effect is the Schisandra Chinensis, the have a strong effect on phycho and physical aspects of man it can cure pain where it strikes. The adaptogens of the Five Flavoured Berry can therefore relieve and stimulate many dysfunctions: such as restorative in the case of physical and mental exhaustion with properties which are more famous than those of ginseng (Panax ssp), like antoxidants against the free root (See Goji), It betters hepatic activity, curing pathologies in its ability to preserve the liver from possible infection, and anti-depressive.
The leaves and the dried bark can be used in the preparation of a herbal restorative tea which is lemon flavoured with anti scurvy properties, it cures and preserves the visionary apparatus notably re-enforcing night vision, and ocular tiredness, it stimulates sexual activity for men and women.
The Five Flavoured Berry contains lignami, which are phytohormones necessary to women during and approaching menopause, re-establishing its place it is sufficient psycho-physical balance , attenuating and not eliminating, all the disturbances associated with these.
Russian researchers, at the end of the last century, have conducted in depth studies on the interaction of the contained substances of the Five and able to Flavoured Berry with the help of athletes: they have demonstrated that eating this fruit and drinking its extracts improved performance, the cardiovascular system was stimulated and slowed breathing, at the same time the sensation of physical tiredness. During these studies they also became aware of an elevated capilliary activity.
From the Five Flavoured Berry plant you can extract an essential oil much appreciated in perfumery and cosmetics.
In the consumption of these derivatives from the Five Flavoured Berry you should pay attention to the side effects. First of all subject intolerance to the main contents which can bring about allergic reactions.
Being a stimulant to the nervous system it is not advisable to those who suffer from hypertension (High blood pressure) or who have heart or renal problems, and to who generally suffer from insomnia and absolutely not to be consumed by pregnant women.
Among the lignami present there are schizandrina B and gomisina A, which specifically act to inhibit glycoproteins. This is a protein used by our cells to eliminate, or reduce as much as possible, endogenus and exogenous toxin absorption therefore highly important in the economy of our human bodies and could heavily interact with the consumption of other drugs.
Remember that these cards are to be considered purely informative and the PRANDINI’S GARDEN NURSERY CENTRE while certain of the reliability of what is here reported, does not accept any responsibility regarding possible error, carelessness or misinterpretation. It is always advisable to consult your specialist doctor before beginning any pharmacological treatment.
POTTING PRUNING AND CULTIVATION
The Five Flavoured Berry is a runner plant with a compact vegetation, but very disordered. Remember that by runner plant we mean its trunk or branches are long and flexible, and hang towards the ground without tendrils or stolons.
As a consequence the main potting should be done in Winter when the tree is bear, when the plant becomes adult, potting consists of the elimination or thinning the long shoots. They are invasive and disordered also when in course of Summer growth, elimination is always possible.
Apart from this, potting is mainly esthetic according to available space. To contain it, It is sufficient to shorten all the branches and thin out when it starts to become dense, apart from this obviously to eliminate the dead parts.
It is a very rustic plant, but also very intolerant of stagnant water: as already mentioned it should not be planted in a pit which would encourage rainwater but in completely the opposite direction that is, draining. direction, that is on raised soil.
If during the Summer season the leaves tend to become pale green, it is very probable that it is a symptom of over exposure to the sun: it is opportune to change its position in an effort to shelter it from the hottest hours of the day .
Watering should be more or less to rescue the plant in periods of drought and the heat of the Summer.
The main properties of the Five Flavoured Berry has are to safeguard against parasite attacks. You cannot count insect attacks to the plant because they are very rare. The same for attacks of fungus.
