Schisandra
Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.
Botanical family: Schisandraceae
A hardy deciduous liana of North-East Asia, with clusters of red berries. Its Chinese name 'wu wei zi' means 'five-flavour berry' (sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, salty).
Sun to partial shade
Rich, cool, humus-rich and well-drained
Regular: a climber of woodland edges and streamsides, in fertile soil that stays moist
Very hardy
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
A hardy perennial liana with medicinal and edible red berries. Covers a trellis in partial shade; reputed an adaptogen in Chinese medicine.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Red berries gathered at the end of summer (late August to September).
Available: August, September.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Szopa A., Ekiert R., Ekiert H. (2017), « Current knowledge of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Chinese magnolia vine) as a medicinal plant species […] », Phytochemistry Reviews 16, 195-218 (doi:10.1007/s11101-016-9470-4)
- Jardiner Malin, « Schisandra : la liane des baies aux cinq saveurs » (jardiner-malin.fr/fiche/schisandra.html)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Not advised during pregnancy and in case of epilepsy, severe reflux, or uncontrolled hypertension; possible drug interactions: it may alter the hepatic metabolism of certain medicines (CYP3A4), seek advice in case of chronic treatment.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Chinese materia medica attributed to Shennong (the Divine Farmer) · China, a Han-era compilation (1st–2nd century)
The Chinese name of schisandra, wuweizi (五味子), means 'seed of five flavours': the fruit is said to bring together on its own the sour, the sweet, the bitter, the pungent, and the salty. The Shennong bencaojing gives the first record of it and ranks it in the 'superior' class. The precise distribution of these flavours according to the parts of the fruit, flesh and skin sour and sweet, kernel pungent and bitter, the whole slightly salty, is a later precision, brought by the Xinxiu bencao of the Tang (659). As for the systematic correspondence of the five flavours with the five organs, it belongs to a reading developed subsequently by the medical tradition.
Shennong bencaojing (神農本草經), compilation des Han (Ier–IIe siècle) : premier enregistrement du nom 五味子 et classement en catégorie supérieure ; répartition détaillée des saveurs précisée par le Xinxiu bencao des Tang (659). Source secondaire consultée : fiche « Wu Wei Zi » (Me & Qi), qui confirme le sens du nom et le classement.
The attribution to Shennong (the Divine Farmer) is legendary: the Shennong bencaojing is a Han-era compilation, not the work of a single author. The meaning of the name, the five flavours, is uncontested; the ranking in the superior category rests here on a secondary source of Chinese medicine, and not on a direct reading of the primary text. It's a descriptive name, not a therapeutic claim.
Keep in mind
A traditional adaptogen: clinical data remain limited.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers sun to partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, cool, humus-rich and well-drained.