Schisandra chinensis
Schisandra chinensis or Wŭ wèi zǐ is also known as Five Flavored Fruit, Five taste fruit, Chinese Magnolia vine, Magnolia vine and Northern Schisandra. It is a member of the Schisandraceae family and previously belonged to the Magnoliaceae or Magnolia family. Schisandra naturally grows along hills that are 3,000-5,000 ft in elevation and along the riverbanks and wooded areas of NE China, Korea, Northern Japan and Eastern Russia. In these places, you can often find them growing in and through the trees.
Schisandra grows well in the Northeastern United States and Canada. It enjoys their cool and humid climates. It grows best in sun to part shade in Zones 4-7. In Zones 7-9 it will need full shade. Schisandra does not like clay soil but prefers a deep, rich and well draining soil with a pH of 6-7. It does like moisture but do not overwater it. It grows well in a sandy soil mixed with compost and thick mulches like that of decomposing leaves. If you have heavy, poor draining soil you could try growing it as a potted plant.
Schisandra is a perennial, hardy woody vine that grows to at least 20 feet and up to 30 feet. It can grow up to 6 feet in a growing season! Its leaves are tough, 3 inch, and lance shaped with red petioles. It has white or pink, fragrant, magnolia-like, 1 inch flowers. It blooms from April to July. Its fall fruit is ovoid, red and hangs in clusters. Schisandra can be grown in beds and borders or in containers and is great for forest farming in a suitable setting. Schisandra does need a trellis, fence or trees for its vines to twist their way along. The vines can be heavy so the structure needs to be strong. Space your plants about 3-10 feet apart. If vertical support is unavailable it will flower and fruit if grown prostrate along the ground. Pollination can occur from beetles if grown in this way. A favorite among the animals, be mindful of possibly needing to protect your young plants. Deer and rabbits like the leaves, while birds and chipmunks will go after the fruit. The flowers are also loved by bees.
Schisandra can be propagated by fall-sown seed, stem cuttings (said to be difficult to root), layering or root suckers. Layering works well and is particularly beneficial if you know the sex of your plant. To grow by seed, you will need to cold stratify to get germination. Soak the seeds overnight to remove the seed from the fruit. After soaking, there are varying opinions on how to achieve germination. One source says to plant your seeds ⅛-¼ inch deep in a nursery flat and then expose them to winter elements, avoiding heavy rainfall if you live in an area that is prone to excess moisture. The seeds will germinate in spring. Another source says you can also stratify in the refrigerator for 3 months and then sow in the spring. Another source says after the overnight soak to give 30 days warm (70-80°F) and then 30 days cold (40°F) and follow with germination in cool shade. We have found that the fluctuating temperatures are crucial for germination. We have also found the seed to be prone to rot making outdoor germination tricky.
Once you successfully achieve germination and after their true leaves appear, transplant into pots to grow for 1-2 years before transplanting into the ground. Seed grown plants are most vital and productive due to their taproot. To maintain a healthy plant, prune back fruiting stems to the 8th or 12th bud in either fall or spring, removing suckers and weak vines. Leave 3-4 strong vines per plant.
The fruit and seeds of Schisandra are used medicinally. The plants are dioecious, (male and female flowers are borne on separate plants) so male and female plants must be present for fruit to occur. If you have an unsexed nursery plant, your best bet to obtain fruit would be to have at least 3 plants. It should produce fruit around its 3rd year if grown from cutting and its 5th year if grown from seed. The plant fruits during August and September and harvest is best in the fall after several years of growth. The fruit is best when picked after the frost. Look for large fruit with thick, purplish red flesh, an oily pulp and an intense aroma. It is wonderful to eat fresh! Its fruit possesses the 5 flavors in Chinese medicine, so it is considered perfectly balanced. Bitter, pungent, salty, sour and sweet all at once.
You can tincture or juice the fresh berries immediately after picking. A suggested recipe for a tincture: (1:5 fresh or 1:3, 40% alcohol for dried berries) take ¼-⅓ tsp, 3-4x a day. The fresh berries can also be used in jams, syrups, or elixirs. A juice can be made with a steam juicer and be frozen or canned for later use. I have made gummies with the juice of Schisandra berries by adding gelatin . To make gummies, I use 2 tablespoons of gelatin(or agar agar for vegans) per cup of Schisandra juice. Heat the juice over medium heat until it is about to simmer. Remove from heat and then whisk in gelatin, 1 tablespoon at a time. You can then pour into molds of your choice. Taken daily as a tonic, I found it helps lift my spirit and gives me endurance throughout the day.
To sun dry the berries, lay them on screens for 4 days then turn them as they finish drying. It will take at least a week and up to four weeks to dry thoroughly by the sun’s heat. To heat dry, the temperature should be 110-150°F. Limit exposure to light. Once dry, they should be hard to cut open. The ratio fresh to dry is 4:1. Dried berries retain their potency for up to 18 months. You can eat 10 berries once daily as a tonic. In China, they do this for 100 days straight. Another way to enjoy Schisandra is to brew a decoction. A suggested recipe is to simmer 1-2 tablespoons of the fresh or dried berries in 8-12 oz of water for 15-30 mins. You can drink 1-2 cups per day. You can also take it as a powder by mixing ½-1 tsp in ½ cup of warm water and taking 1-2x a day.
Schisandra is a perfect example of an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogens work in apparently contradictory ways to help restore normal body function during times of stress. Though it is stimulating, it calms the spirit and quiets the heart. Schisandra is a great herb for anyone who has experienced trauma and is helpful during the healing process. It can be used as a harmonizing tonic. Taken over a period of months, Schisandra will improve energy levels, reduce tiredness, rebuild resiliency, strengthen the immune system and help with irritability and forgetfulness. It is also useful when taken for insomnia and dream disturbed sleep and has been used in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Schisandra helps regulate blood sugar levels and improves overall stamina and endurance.
Schisandra is a restorative herb for numerous deficient and weak conditions in the body and works with the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, respiratory, reproductive, and nervous systems. It stimulates the nervous system and increases the reflex of nerve responses and improves mental clarity. It is used to tonify and nourish the organs including the kidneys, lungs, sexual organs, spleen, stomach and the heart. It has a calming effect on the heart and helps reduce stress-induced heart palpitations. It has recently been used to treat liver diseases such as hepatitis. The lignans help regenerate the hepatocytes and protect the liver from exposure to toxic chemicals or drugs. A suggested formula to help prevent or treat liver damage is to combine it with Milk thistle and Turmeric. Schisandra stabilizes the lung qi and can help with chronic coughs and asthma. It is also used to relieve spontaneous sweats, night sweats, chronic diarrhea, and urinary incontinence.
In China, Schisandra is taken as a sexual tonic. It is believed to increase sexual fluids in women and improve sexual stamina in men. Schisandra is also useful for menopausal women to help ease them through their transition.
Schisandra should be avoided during pregnancy as it may stimulate uterine contractions. It is safe for nursing women to consume. It should not be used by someone with an acute ailment like a cold, flu and fever. Can lead to insomnia and anxiety.
Some of the constituents Schisandra contains are lignans (schizandrin, deoxyschizandrin, gomisin), phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol), volatile oil, and vitamin C and E. Its energetics are warm and dry, cooling and moistening. (contradictory, eh?) Its key actions include being adaptogenic, anti-asthmatic, antitussive, anti-inflammatory, astringent, hepatoprotective, it is an immune and memory tonic, lung tonic, an immune amphoteric, and a nervine.
A few random facts that I couldn’t find a proper place for here but wanted to include: Deb Soule uses a few drops of the tincture in her water daily during gardening season as part of her tick prevention. In Russian traditional medicine, it was used to relieve hunger and fatigue. 50 seeds weigh 1 gram
References: The Chinese Medicinal Herb Farmer, Peg Shafer, p255-57. Growing Plant Medicine Volume 2, Richo and Sena Cech, p59. The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, Revised edition, Jeff and Melanie Carpenter p336-7. How to Move Like a Gardener, Deb Soule, p209-212. The Modern Herbal Dispensatory, Thomas Easley and Steven Horne, p300. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Andrew Chevallier, p132.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This product is intended for ornamental use only*
