Schisandra sphenanthera

RHS Plant Profile
Southern magnolia vine

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Southern magnolia vine RHS
Climber Wall Shrub
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A deciduous, twining climber, up to 7m tall, with obovate, minutely-toothed leaves 5-10cm long. Small, pendulous, orange-red flowers, around 1.5cm wide, are borne on slender stalks in late spring and early summer and are followed by scarlet-red berries

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Schisandraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Climbing
Genus
Schisandra are deciduous or evergreen, monoecious or dioecious, twining shrubs. Leaves are alternate on slender stalks. Flowers are solitary or in small clusters, borne in the leaf axils, and sepals and petals are indistinguishable. In female flowers the carpels are densely packed into a head, but as they ripen they elongate, eventually forming a spike several inches long
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
W China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame as soon as ripe. Propagate by softwood cuttings (greenwood) in early or mid-summer or semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wall side borders
  • Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 12 in early spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free