Tree lycium, Duo zhi ji jin niu
Ardisia sieboldii

Family: Primulaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It can grow to 10 m high. The small branches are 2-3 mm across and brown and scaly. The leaf stalk is 5-10 mm long. The leaf blade is oval and 7-14 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. It is leathery. It is dull on the upper surface and can be brown and scaly underneath. The base is wedge shaped and the edges can be curled back. There are 14-25 secondary veins on each side of the main vein. The flowers are in the axils of leaves near the ends of branches. They are in an arrangement 3-4 cm long. The flowers are white and about 3 mm across. The fruit is round and red to black. It is about 7 mm across. It is somewhat fleshy.

There are about 250-300 Ardisia species. They are mainly in the tropics. Also put in the family Myrsinaceae.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in mixed forests and mountains and hillsides between 100-600 m altitude in China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Japan, Taiwan

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ardisia formosana Rolfe; Bladhia sieboldii (Miquel)Nakai; Tinus sieboldii (Miquel)Kuntze;