An absolute rarity!
 
Variety description: An almost completely black Kadsura coccinea. The colours of the fruit range from dark red to violet-black. The colour gradient during ripening goes from green to light red, then dark red like "Shanmai" and dark red to black-violet when fully ripe. The colour varies depending on the amount of sunlight, similar to the black diamond apple, which has an almost completely black skin. 
 
The black Kadsura is extremely sought-after due to its rumoured healing properties. It is said to be by far the strongest of all kadsuras and is therefore probably the most interesting for the medicinal herb garden. In TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), black kadsura is said to have the most healing effects. 

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KADSURA - OUR FAVOURITE PLANT
The growth of Kadsura and its care are reminiscent of grapevines. However, they are more resistant than most grape varieties.
Kadsura are very adaptable in terms of both soil and temperature. We only offer the most resistant and best available varieties.
 
Our Kadsura have already survived temperatures of -15 and +40 degrees Celsius (5-104 °F). "Shanmai" is said to be able to withstand even higher temperature fluctuations down to -30 and over +50 degrees Celsius (-22-122 °F). Our varieties originally come from the highest growing regions with regular frosts and hot summers. They are therefore not comparable with the standard red or subtropical varieties, which are very sensitive.
or the best growth, the flowers should be removed in the first few years so that the plant can grow bigger and stronger. Later on, the flowers are often very lush, so it makes sense to thin out the flowers in a similar way to the apple in order to obtain a higher quality fruit. 

Flowering takes place from April to May.

Kadsuras have fibrous shallow roots and prefer slightly acidic, airy soils. The soil should be kept as moist as possible. Slightly acidic sandy loam soils are ideal.

Similar to grapes, Kadsura can be grown well on a trellis or espalier, with planting distances of approx. 1.5 x 2 metres.

Our varieties are true to variety and have a high degree of purity in the seedlings.
As a rule, Kadsuras are monoecious (over 90 %) or monoecious. They therefore have a very good self-pollination rate. A group planting of 2 to 3 plants also increases the yield. With good care and location, there are many fruit sets. Thinning out and focussing on the strongest fruit branches and fruits significantly improves the fruit quality. You can also pollinate by hand to increase the quality. However, this is not absolutely necessary.
Fruit: The fruits ripen from October to November, depending on the variety and location. They ripen gradually. Only the fully ripened Kadsuras on the vine reach their full flavour and are sweet and very tasty. Fruit harvested too early will not ripen!
The fruit has a limited storage time. They must not be stored too dry and should be stored in cling film bags or closed glass trays, for example, so that they remain fresh and juicy for as long as possible.

Pruning: Kadsuras can be pruned like grapevines. The most important thing is to thin out overly dense growth in order to allow more air to reach the fruit and flowers and to prevent diseases and improve fruit quality.
Pruning is carried out as late as possible in winter, similar to Prunus, plums, cherries, etc.
 
We offer you a hand-picked selection of the best varieties with a focus on winter hardiness, resistance and fruit quality. These cannot be compared with the regular red-fruited Kadsura that are occasionally found on the market.