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Berberidopsis corallina

Common name:	Coral Plant	Family:	Flacourtiaceae
Author:	Hook.f.	Botanical references:	11, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. America - Chile.
Habitat:	Deep, moist ravines in woodlands within the coastal belt[11, 200]. This species is quite possibly extinct in the wild[11].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	corallina = coral red;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Violales. Flacourtia family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen climber growing to 5m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 8 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Basketry.

The stems are quite flexible and are used in basket-making[247].

Cultivation details

Prefers a deep, moist, humus-rich soil and a position where it is sheltered from drying winds and strong sunlight[11, 200]. This species will tolerate a slightly alkaline soil if peat or some other acid medium is added, but it is not really suited to chalky soils[11].
This species is not very hardy outdoors in Britain[11], tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c so long as this is not for prolonged periods[200]. It succeeds in the more westerly areas of the country, but in general needs the protection of a wall and will succeed on a south-facing wall so long as it is protected from winds from that quarter[11]. If the top-growth is cut back by winter cold, the plant can re-sprout from the rootstock[200].
A climbing plant, growing up through trees and shrubs and supporting itself by twining around them[200].
The plant usually forms fruit in Britain, but the seed is seldom fertile[11].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a warm greenhouse in early spring. The seed can take 12 months or more to germinate and there is usually a poor germination rate[247]. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow them on a shady part of the greenhouse for at least their first winter and then plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frost. Consider giving the plant some protection from the cold for their first winter or two outdoors.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[200].
Layering.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Flacourtiaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[247] Knees. S. The New Plantsman. Volume 4. Royal Horticultural Society, London 1997 ISBN 1352-4186
A few articles of interest, especially Berberdopsis corallina and Tropaeolum species.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Berberidopsis+corallina
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