The Chinese ramskin is one of the rare climbing plants in our country. They are so robust, resilient and can also be planted in this country under simple conditions.
The Chinese cricket (Schisandra chinensis) brings variety to your garden. In order for the deciduous climbing plant to come into its own, it only needs a climbing aid. But the star anise plant from Asia can do even more. The fruits, reminiscent of currants, are considered the ultimate power berry in China and are full of valuable ingredients.
The earliest mention of the Chinese cricket as a medicinal plant dates back to the Han Dynasty. Also known as schisandra berries, the fruit is drunk as a tea or made into jam or syrup.
In our gardens, the Chinese daisy is still rare. If you would like to change this, you will find all important information about the attractive and useful medicinal and ornamental plant from the Far East below.
Plant Description
The Chinese ramskin is a twining climber with a slender growth habit. The long stalks are covered with glossy leaves. These are alternately arranged and oval. The flowers appear lush and spread an aromatic scent. From the second year, the currant-like berries appear on the grape-like infructescence. The berries are not only a pretty plant decoration, they can be harvested in autumn and dried or processed raw.
The natural range
The main distribution area of the plant is in China. Occurrences are also found in Japan and Korea. The power berry mainly grows around the Amur, in Manchuria or on the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu.
The Five Flavors Berry
The Chinese call the fruit “Wu Wei Zi”, the berry of five flavors. In fact, the fruits offer an extraordinary taste experience. The seeds have a bitter, pungent and slightly s alty taste, while the flesh tastes sweet and sour. meet withfive flavors in one fruit on top of each other.
When does the Chinese daisy flower?
The white to light pink flowers appear around the end of May. The berries develop during the summer. The first fruiting begins about five years after planting. Up to five kilograms of fruit can be harvested per plant.
Using the power berry
The Asians have valued the healing powers of the China berry for thousands of years. The "power berry" contains a high proportion of vitamins A, B6, C or E, as well as minerals and valuable essential oils. Traditional Chinese medicine ascribes a performance-enhancing and regenerating effect to the fruits. Areas of application include colds, diabetes, depression, insomnia or asthma.
How to plant the Chinese split daisy
❍ Location:
When choosing a location, it should not be neglected that the plants aim high. Mature plants are up to eight meters high and up to half a meter wide. Annually, the Chinese cricket grows about 30 centimeters.
The plant prefers a partially shaded location. Cultivation in the shade is also possible, but this is at the expense of flowering and fruit development.
» Tip: If Chinese ramskin are planted in a group, a minimum distance of half a meter must be maintained so that the plants do not interfere with each other and thus prevent growth.
The Chinese split daisy should be protected from the blazing midday sun. This is easily accomplished by applying a layer of mulch to the soil.
The Chinese cricket would like to climb walls or house walls, but cannot do it on its own. Therefore, the plants always need a climbing aid.
» Tip: The wild forms of the Chinese zodiac are sexually separated, so that several plants are necessary if fruit is to grow. However, self-fertile varieties are also commercially available, so that group plantings are not absolutely necessary.
❍ Substrate:
The Chinese cricket doesn't make any demands on the soil. A permeable and nutrient-rich substrate forms the ideal basis for the growth of the Chinese fissured. The substrate should not be too dry, but avoid waterlogging. Furthermore, a slightly acidic soil is tolerated and lime is also tolerated. Therefore can also withstagnant tap water.
❍ Planting Instructions:
- Note planting time
- Select Location
- Loosen and clean the soil
- Dig planting hole
- Water plant
- Install drainage
- Insert plant
- Fill substrate
- Press the ground
- Mulch soil
- Attach trellis
- Water the plant well
Chinese daisies cultivated in pots can be planted throughout the summer. If several plants are used, a sufficient planting distance must be maintained. Ideally, the plants should be about a meter apart. Half a meter is also tolerated. The root balls should be watered before planting. The hobby gardener dips the plants in a bucket of water until no more bubbles rise. To protect the plant from waterlogging, it is advisable to mix coarse sand or gravel into the substrate when planting.
» Tip: As a creeper, the Chinese dwarf plant does not stop at its plant neighbors and embraces everything that promises it support. For this reason alone, sufficient planting distance is an important criterion.
How to take care of the Chinese split basket
❍ casting:
The soil should not dry out and should always feel damp. It is important to ensure that no waterlogging occurs. A layer of mulch can help keep moisture in the soil longer. Water every day on hot summer days. The morning or evening hours should be used for this. In the blazing midday sun, the irrigation water would burn the leaves. The Chinese split daisy tolerates limescale, but should preferably be watered with rainwater.
» Tip: The plants indicate a lack of moisture by yellowing of the leaves.
❍ Fertilize:
The plants can be supplied with berry or fruit fertilizer. A first application of fertilizer takes place at the beginning of the budding, so that the formation of flowers is supported. Additional fertilizers can be applied in summer, after fruit formation and in autumn before winter dormancy.
❍ Pruning:
Regular pruning measures are not necessary with the Chinese split basket. The hobby gardener only has to intervene if the vine literally threatens to grow over his head. Pruning should preferably be done in late winter, before flowering begins. With a rose or pruning shears, all long shoots anddisturbing branches removed. The plants should be pruned on dry, but not full sun days. Larger wounds on the main trunk should be treated with a wound sealant.
❍ Propagation:
There are various ways for the hobby gardener to propagate the Chinese daisy.
The following methods are common:
- Cuttings
- Lowerer
- Seeds
Propagation by cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is a common method and easy to understand even for laypeople. There are very good prospects of success in growing several strong young plants from cuttings.
How to proceed?
❶ Cut the cutting
❷ Place the cutting in the potting soil
❸ Moisten the cutting evenly
❹ Transplant the cutting after it has sprouted
❺ Overwinter the cutting in a frost-free place❻ plant cuttings in spring
The shoots that are no longer quite young and are already slightly woody are suitable for cuttings. These are brought to a length of about 20 centimeters. There should be several eyes on the cutting. A warm ambient temperature favors the formation of the roots and finally new growth.
Propagation by lowering
Because it is a creeper, the shoots are long enough. A powerful shoot is led to the ground and brought into the ground with an eye. The spot is weighed down with a stone so that the shoot cannot come loose from the ground again. It may take some time for new roots to form. It is therefore advisable to let the planter overwinter on the mother plant and only separate it from the plant in spring and transplant it separately.
Propagation by Seeds
Propagation by seed is considered relatively difficult. Each fruit contains about two to three seeds. The seeds are first dried and placed in plant pots in spring. The seeds are only lightly covered with soil. Keep the soil evenly moist and cover the planter with foil, which will speed up germination. In a bright and warm place, the seeds will begin to germinate after a few weeks. When the young plants have reached a height of about ten centimetres, they are transplanted into larger planters, overwintered indoors and planted outdoors next spring.
❍ Overwintering:
Adult outdoor plants do not need winter protection. The climbing plant is very robust and can withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees without damagetake.
Young plants need winter protection for the first three years. It is sufficient if you mulch the soil and cover it with brushwood.
The soil of the plants must not dry out even in winter. Therefore, the Chinese dwarf daisy is watered sporadically on frost-free days.
Detect and control pests and diseases
The plants are robust and well adapted to our climate. The occurrence of diseases is not known. Pest infestation is also rare. If mistakes in care are avoided, Chinese crickets are extremely robust and resilient.
An enemy of climbing plants, however, is prolonged drought. If the upper layers of soil begin to dry out, the plant is already beginning to become ailing and there is a risk of leaf discoloration and flower dropping.