Kadsura coccinea

Kadsura; black tiger fruit (Kadsura coccinea)
Scientific name	Kadsura coccinea
Genus	Kadsura
Family	Schisandraceae
Order	Austrobaileyales
Growth form	Evergreen woody climber
Native range	Southern China to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam
Native biome	Subtropical forests, ravines, and hillside shrubland
Soil	Moist but well drained, neutral to acidic
Flowers	Unisexual; plants may be monoecious or dioecious
Fruit	Red to dark-purple aggregate, often 6–10 cm across
Propagation	Fresh seed; semi-ripe cuttings; layering
Harvest	July–November in one account; October–December in another

Kadsura coccinea, commonly called black tiger fruit or Kadsura, is an evergreen woody climber in the genus Kadsura, family Schisandraceae, and order Austrobaileyales. It is native from southern China through parts of mainland Southeast Asia and produces a large red to purple aggregate fruit.^[1][2]

Description

The plant has twining woody stems and evergreen leaves. It grows as a forest climber, using surrounding vegetation or a trellis for support. Flowers are unisexual, and plants may be monoecious or dioecious; the latter condition can make fruit production dependent on having compatible plants together.^[2]

The fruit is an unusually large aggregate made from many individual carpels. It is nearly spherical, red to purplish red or dark purple at maturity, and may reach about 6–10 cm across or more. Individual fruit units remain visible across the surface, giving ripe fruit a clustered appearance. The pulp is described as sweet, although flavor and texture can vary among plants.^[3][2]

Distribution and habitat

Kadsura coccinea occurs from southern China through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. It is recorded from hillside slopes, ravines, semi-open shrubland, and forest, usually at about 400–1,400 m, with records extending roughly from 200 to 1,900 m. Plants of the World Online places it primarily in the subtropical biome.^[1][2]

Cultivation

A sheltered position with partial shade or filtered sun suits the forest-climbing habit, especially while plants are young. Keep the root zone moist but freely drained, using moderately fertile soil with a neutral to acidic reaction. Provide a trellis, pergola, or strong tree support before the woody climber becomes difficult to train. These recommendations reflect the documented habitat and cultivation summary rather than a tested hardiness limit.^[2]

The native seasonal setting is warm and humid, with growth and flowering occurring through the warmer part of the year. In cultivation, protect exposed vines from prolonged cold and drying conditions, and adjust irrigation to the local wet and dry or cool and warm rhythm rather than applying a fixed calendar. Treat the habitat and seasonal records as ecological context, not as a hardiness threshold.^[1][3]

Propagation

Fresh seed, semi-ripe cuttings, and layering are reported propagation routes. Fresh seed is the least specialized of these options, while cuttings and layering require suitable actively growing material and conditions; no universal rooting protocol or comparative success rate is given for these routes.^[2]

Flowering, fruiting, and harvest

Flowering is reported from approximately April or May through July. Fruit development extends into the latter part of the year: one account gives July–November, while another gives a fruiting period commonly extending from October to December. Use local flowering and full fruit color rather than a single calendar range as the harvest guide.^[3][2]

Where a population includes dioecious plants, keep compatible male and female plants together. A plant's name or nursery label does not establish its sex expression, so flowering and fruit set should be observed on the actual planting.^[2]

Fruit and uses

The ripe aggregate fruit is eaten raw or cooked and is locally valued as food. Its large size, clustered surface, and vivid red-to-purple color make it a distinctive fruit for suitable subtropical collections.^[2][3]

Growing notes

A participant in a GrowingFruit.org discussion described two seed-grown plants growing in the ground in southern Alabama (USDA zone 8b) and entering their third year. The report described about 6 feet of growth during the preceding year, sandy soil with high organic matter, trellis training, and a plan to try tip layering. Other participants described unsuccessful seed attempts and uncertainty about cold limits.^[4]

Photos

References

• ↑ [1] Plants of the World Online: Kadsura coccinea. Accepted name, synonyms, native range, life form, and biome.

• ↑ [2] Useful Tropical Plants: Kadsura coccinea. Habit, habitat, fruit, sex expression, edible use, and propagation overview.

• ↑ [3] Kadsura coccinea: A rich source of structurally diverse and biologically important lignans and triterpenoids. Explicit descriptive and flowering/fruiting statements; a review rather than a cultivation trial.

• ↑ [4] GrowingFruit.org: Kadsura coccinea discussion. Attributed first-hand southern Alabama growing report, including plant age, growth, soil, trellis training, and planned tip layering; individual conditions and outcomes only.

Image credits

• Summary: Kadsura coccinea leaves and fruits.jpg — Fumikas Sagisavas, CC0 1.0; file page.
• Photos: Kadsura coccinea and salacca zalacca fruits.jpg — Fumikas Sagisavas, CC0 1.0; file page.