Prinsepia uniflora

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Prinsepia uniflora
Light:Full Sun Part Shade
Moisture:Mesic
Hardiness:5
Soil pH:5.6-8.4
Height:6'
Width:10'
Blooms:Mid Spring-Late Spring
Native to:
Edible Rating:PFAF Edibility RatingPFAF Edibility Rating
Tea:Yes
Poisonous

Prinsepia uniflora (common name: rui ren)

Propagation: Seed - best if given 2 months cold stratification[1]. Sow the seed in autumn if possible, otherwise in late winter or early spring in a cold frame in light shade. Germination may be inhibited by light[1]. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle into individual pots. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.

Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[1].

Cultivation: Succeeds in any moderately fertile well-drained soil in full sun or light shade[2].

The plants produce flowers and fruits better when they are growing in full sun[2].

Hardy to about -20°c[3].

This species is closely allied to P. sinensis[4][5].

Flowers are produced very early in the spring and they are then easily damaged by frosts[4]. The flowers are produced on the previous seasons wood[2]. They are produced on old wood according to another report[6]. Plants only fruit in Britain after long hot summers[2].

Range: E. Asia - N.W. China.

Habitat: Loess plateaux, areas intermediate between woodland and steppe. Sunny slopes, ravines in valleys, base of hills at elevations of 800 - 2200 metres[7].

Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[8][9][10]. Juicy[11]. The cherry-like fruit is about 15mm in diameter and contains one large seed[2].

Pollinators: Insects

Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.

Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.

Wind: Tolerates strong winds

Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Early Fall

Flower Type: Hermaphrodite

Links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
  3. Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Shrubs. Pan Books, 1989.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
  5. Wilson, Ernest and Charles Sargent. Plantae Wilsonianae.
  6. Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
  7. Flora of China. 1994.
  8. Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
  9. Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
  10. Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
  11. Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.