Idesia polycarpa

common species

Salicaceae › Idesia

The wonder tree or ligiri tree is in the willow or Salicaceae family and is native to China (Sichuan and Taiwan), Korea and Japan. It is a small, upright tree, growing to 15 m in height, with a similar spread.

  • Leaves are dark green, 15 cm long and 12 cm across, but occasionally half as large again, heart-shaped, narrowing to a short point, quite glabrous above, glaucous beneath, and hairy at the base where the main veins join the stalk, rather distantly toothed; petiole is about 1.1 cm long, with 2 oblong glands near the apex.
  • Plant is dioecious; female flowers are fragrant, yellow-green, without petals, in terminal clusters (panicles) to 20 cm long, flowers are 8 mm across; males are in clusters about 15 cm long.
  • Fruit is globular, hanging like a bunch of small grapes 7−8 mm across, initially green but ripening to orange-red to deep red, in pendulous clusters.

Contributors

  • Wendy Cutler
  • Philippe de Spoelberch