Debregeasia edulis (Suhosine,
Janatsi-itsigo, Toon-itsigo) is called in China as “shui
ma” which
can be probably translated as “water hemp”. This name refers to use of
the inner bark of this genus plants in manner similar as hemp fibers. This is
native to east Asia (including Japan) and belongs to Nettle Family (Urticaceae).This is small (0,3-1,8m =
1-6ft tall) semi-evergreen shrub which creates its inflorescences on thick
branches (caulifloric) and next edible orange fruits (which
are similar to small round mulberries) with sweet taste and exotic aroma.
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| The fruits are very ornamental and edible (delicious with an exotic aroma) |
It is moderately frost hardy (shoots to
zone 8 and roots even to zone 7a if mulched) and blooms in spring. Fruits are
ripening in summer and hangs on branches to autumn (if birds did not eat them).
It is dioecious. I have a clone called “Elite” which is female and creates
seedless fruits (without pollinating).
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| This is caulifloric shrub (creates fruits on thick woody branches) |
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| The shrub in flowers in spring |
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| The clone called "Elite" creates only female inflorescences. It can flower when is very small (even about 30cm = 1ft tall) |
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| It creates fruits on even very thick branches |
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| The coin on the photo is size about 1inch = 2,5cm |
I tried also growing other species – Debregeasia longifolia (Wild
Rhea), which
is much larger and need more warmness and lightness in winter. It is native to
also to east Asia (China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, N Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam).
I tried to winter it in cool cellar (without frost) but plants died in
mid-winter. It has never flowered in my experience. It is difficult to growing
in pots in home also due to its large size.
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| It can be very large shrub |
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| It has not flowered in my experience |
If you have available any Debregeasia (or other rare Urticaceae family plant) species seeds
please write to me.
