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Growing Kadsura japonica
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Kadsura - Growing Guide

Growing Kadsura japonica

Kadsura is a small genus of evergreen climbers with separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Kadsura japonica comes from Japan, China and Taiwan and is a vigorous twining climber which can grow to about 12ft in height.

It has glossy dark green elliptic to ovate lance shaped leaves which are about 4in long and lightly toothed. From summer and through to autumn it produces solitary cream coloured flowers which are around an inch across. In autumn some leaves turn bright red and scarlet fruits appear then as well.

This is, again, a climber for a hot sunny wall in milder locations or a conservatory or greenhouse plant elsewhere. It may require spur pruning to cut back the side shoots to within three or four buds on the branchlets or tendrils leading back to the main stem in late winter or early spring. This encourages more new growth and flowers but, in the nursery, this has not actually made much difference.

Propagation is by semi ripe cuttings in summer. Otherwise a trouble free if slightly tender and rare plant.