View source for Idesia

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Salicaceae
|genus=Idesia
|species=polycarpa
|taxo_author=Maxim.
|Temp Metric=°F
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
|image=Idesia leaves fruit 041181.jpg
|image_width=180
|image_caption=''Idesia polycarpa'' leaves and fruit
}}
'''''Idesia''''' is a genus of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Salicaceae]] (formerly placed in the family [[Flacourtiaceae]]), comprising the single species '''''Idesia polycarpa'''''. It is native to eastern [[Asia]] in [[China]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]], and [[Taiwan]].<ref name=foc>Flora of China: [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200145 ''Idesia'' (genus page)], [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200014461 ''Idesia polycarpa'' (species page)]</ref>

It is a medium-sized [[deciduous]] [[tree]] reaching a height of 8-21 m, with a trunk up to 50 cm diameter with smooth greyish-green [[bark]]. The shoots are greyish-brown, stout, with a thick [[pith]] core. The [[leaf|leaves]] are large, heart-shaped, 8–20 cm long and 7–20 cm broad, with a red 4–30 cm [[petiole (botany)|petiole]] bearing two or more glands; the leaves are dark green above, glaucous below, and have a coarsely serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are small, yellowish green, fragrant, and born in [[panicle]]s 13–30 cm long. It is [[plant sexuality|dioecious]] with male and female flowers on separate trees; the male flowers are 12–16 mm diameter, the female flowers 9 mm diameter. The [[fruit]] is a [[berry]] 5–10 mm diameter, ripening orange to dark purple-red, containing several 2–3 mm brown [[seed]]s, and often persisting until the following spring.<ref name=foc/><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.</ref>

The species is occasionally grown as an [[ornamental tree]] in other temperate regions including Europe.<ref name=rushforth/>  The fruit is edible either raw or cooked.<ref>Tanaka, T. (1976). ''Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World''. Keigaku Publishing.</ref>

{{Inc|
Idesia (Yobrants ides, Dutch traveler in China). Flacourtiaceae. Ornamental tree grown for its handsome large foliage and also for the attractive orange- red berries.

Deciduous: lvs. alternate, long-petioled. 3-5-nerved at the base, crenate-serrate; stipules small, caducous: fls. dioecious, in large terminal panicles; sepals 5 (3-6); petals wanting; stamens, numerous, with villous filaments; ovary 1-celled, with 3-6 spreading styles: fr. a many-seeded berry.—One species in S. Japan and Cent, and W. China.

This is a handsome tree with close grayish white bark and spreading branches forming a low broad head; the rather large lustrous leaves are borne on long reddish stalks; the flowers are not showy, but the orange- red berries, borne in pendulous racemes sometimes 10 inches long, are very conspicuous, particularly after the leaves have fallen. The plants raised from seeds recently introduced from Central China have proved hardy at the Arnold Arboretum, at least in favorable positions, while the Japanese plant introduced about fifty years ago is not hardy north of Philadelphia; otherwise there is no difference between the Japanese and the Chinese plant. The tree grows quite rapidly while young and does not seem particular as to the soil. Propagation is by seeds, which germinate readily, and by greenwood and root-cuttings.
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