Kadsura coccinea Seeds | Scarlet Kadsura
LATIN NAME: Kadsura coccinea
COMMON NAME: Scarlet Kadsura
Plant Profile
Scarlet Kadsura (Kadsura coccinea) is an evergreen vine. It climbs steadily by twining stems, and it stands mild winters and deep, moist, well-drained soils well. Give it full sun and deep, fertile ground. Together these qualities explain its long-standing appeal to gardeners.
Science & Biotechnology
Seed science, comparative botany and horticultural selection all touch on Kadsura coccinea, a representative of the Kadsura group with clear practical value. Crimson kadsura is a serious subject in natural-products research. A long cultivation history means growers know what to expect from it.
Uses & Benefits
Scarlet Kadsura works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, crimson kadsura is a valuable forest vine. Its evergreen canopy provides shelter and nesting sites for birds, its flowers feed pollinators, and its bright fruits provide food for birds and small mammals through autumn, helping to spread its seeds through the forest. Its value to people is real and varied. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.
Kadsura is a schisandra relative whose stems and roots serve in Chinese folk medicine for rheumatism; its lignans are studied for liver-protective activity.
Growing from Seed
Starting Scarlet Kadsura from seed is simple and satisfying. Growing crimson kadsura from seed takes a little patience, but it is a rewarding vine to raise. Then sow them in pots of free-draining seed compost, about a centimetre deep, and keep them warm and moist. Use a loose, well-drained seed compost, sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly, and keep everything evenly moist in full sun. Prick the seedlings out once they are large enough to handle, grow them on in bright light, and plant out when conditions allow.
Our Take
Scarlet Kadsura repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Scarlet Kadsura often pair it with these related subjects: