Description
Eleutherococcus – Acanthopanax –
There area bout 30 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, sometimes climbers, in this genus. They occur in scrub and woodland in Eastern, Southern, and Southeastern Asia. They have alternate, 3-7 palmate leaves, carried on prickly or bristly stems, and bear terminal, simple or compound umbels of small, 5 petalled, greenish white or purplish flowers from spring to late summer. Flowers are followed by ivy like, spherical to ellipsoid, black or purple black fruits. E. species are grown for their foliage and autumn fruits. They provide a bold accent when grown as specimens and make striking addition to a shrub border.
Grow in well drained, humus enriched soil, ideally in full sun.
E. senticosus – Siberian Ginseng – This deciduous shrub from Northern China and Eastern Siberia grows 4-6′ feet tall. It is sparsely branched, and stems are bristly and prickly. Green female flowers and purple to lilac male flowers appear in summer with black fruit, about 1/3″ long. This species root shares many properties of the better known ginseng, it was adopted with enthusiasm by Russians, used as a daily tonic and supplied to athletes training for the Olympic Games.
Zones 4-9
