Re: Idesia polycarpa

There are fruiting trees at Strybing Arboretum in San
Francisco. We sometimes sell seedlings at our sales:
www.strybing.org.
-Jason 
SF
--- Tony and Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
> Irene Kuffel wrote:
> > 
> > Hello all,
> > 
> >    I was browsing through the new "Dirr's Trees
> and Shrubs for
> >    Warm Climates" and came across this rather
> intriguing-looking
> >    tree, idesia polycarpa ("Igiri Tree").
> > 
> >    It's from S.Japan, central/western China, so
> not mediterranean.
> >    But, the description says it "Tolerates heat,
> drought, and
> >    substandard soils" which _sounds_ like it would
> do well in
> >    mediterranean regions.  It has attractive
> leaves and bark,
> >    and a fruiting tree looks quite a knock-out
> covered with
> >    panicles of red berries. Also, "Extremely fast
> growing as
> >    a young tree. Easily grown from fresh planted
> seed."
> > 
> >    Given all that, I find it curious that this
> tree is not more
> >    popular than it is - I have never (knowingly)
> seen this tree in
> >    California. Have any of you any personal
> experience with this
> >    tree? Are there any downsides? Is the "Easily
> grown from ..."
> >    sentence a warning that it is invasive? Does
> anyone know if
> >    there any sources for this in California?
> > 
> Irene 
> This is quite well known here where it is usually
> called the "Wonder
> Tree". Apart from the berries it has very hadsome
> deciduous foliage
> turning yellow before falling.
> 
> Its distribution is limited by climate as it does
> not stand very heavy
> frosts and is happiest in a temperate to warm
> temperate climate.(Climate
> zones 6-10)
> An old, but still very authoritative, account says "
> An idea climate
> resembling the native habitat  is one with
> well-defined seasons, a hot
> summer, dry autumn and reasonable freedom from heavy
> frosts (and strong
> winds). I have seen them occasionally around my home
> area, but they are
> not too often planted just here because of our
> frequent gales.
> 
> The main problem with heavy frosts or winds or with
> a lot of pruning is
> that the trees if damaged are  very prone to attack
> by wound fungi or
> bacteria.
> 
> Although the account you quote suggests it is
> tolerent of adverse soil
> conditions  Botanica recommends "moderately fertile
> moist but
> well-drained acid soils".
> 
> The trees are dioecious, so to get berries you will
> need to accomodate
> at least one male besides your female plant(s). They
> are usually here
> sold in grafted pairs, but can also be grown from
> cuttings. (My very old
> account gives a natty way of distinguishing the sex
> in young seed-grown
> trees, if seed is all one can get).
> 
> The berries are very handsome as they hang through
> winter on the bare
> branches and birds do not touch them, so provided
> you cut off the old
> bunches in spring before they finally fall they are
> unlkely to spread
> around.
> 
> Sorry I can't help with a Californian source.
> 
> Moira
> 
> -- 
> Tony & Moira Ryan,
> Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our
> garden at:-
>
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
> 


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