Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.

Young branches lacking wings; leaf-bearing branches elongated. Petiole 0.9-4 cm, glabrous; leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 4.5-8(-10.5) × 2.5-6.5 cm, thinly papery to papery, not glaucous, venation glabrous or rarely adaxially sparsely pubescent, secondary veins (3 or)4-6(or 7) on each side of midvein, base cuneate, attenuate, or rarely broadly cuneate, margin denticulate to serrulate, apex shortly acuminate. Flowers axillary to fugacious bracts at base of young shoots, solitary; peduncle 0.6-2.8 cm (staminate), 0.7-3.5 cm (pistillate), glabrous. Tepals 5-9, white to yellow, largest 6.5-11 × 2-5 mm, glabrous. Staminate flowers: stamens (4 or)5(-7), ± distinct; pollen 6-colpate. Pistillate flowers: carpels 14-40; pseudostyle narrow to ± broadened. Fruit peduncle 2-7.5 cm, glabrous; torus 1.5-9.5 cm; apocarps pinkish red to red, 5-7.5 × 4-6 mm. Seed testa smooth. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 28.

A temperate plant. It is best in rich moist soil. In northern China it grows in valleys along rivers between 1,200-1,700 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-10.

The young leaves are boiled and eaten. The fruit is eaten raw or dried. They are also used for tea. The fresh fruit are used to make a soft drink. A paste from the fruit is mixed with hardy kiwifruit (Actinidea arguta) to balance the acidity.

Plants can be grown from suckers. Plants should be pruned after fruiting.