Hei lao hu
Kadsura coccinea

Family: Schisandraceae

What it is like

A vine. It is a twining climber. The leaf stalks can be 3 cm long. The leaf blade is narrowly oval and 7-19 cm long by 3-10 cm wide. They are papery to leathery. The flower stalk is 2 cm long. Flowers are separately male and female. The fruit stalk is up to 5 cm long. The fruit are red or purple. They are about 2 cm long by 1 cm wide. The seeds are pear shaped and there are 1 or 2 seeds in each fruit section.

There are 22 Kadsura species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Yunnan in China it grows between 1,000-1,800 m above sea level. It grows in monsoon rainforest. It grows in subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forest. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Amiuilagai, Bibeng, Day Xunxe, Fantoenguo, Hei lao hu, Nam-com

Synonyms

Cosbaea coccinea Lem.; Kadsura ananosma Kerr; Kadsura calophylla A. C. Sm.; Kadsura cabaleriei H. Lev.; Kadsura chinensis var. annamensis Gagnep.; Kadsura chinensis var. sichuanensis Y. W. Law; Kadsura hainanensis Merr.; Schisandra hanceana Baill.;