Paliurus spina-christi

A deciduous shrub growing 5 m tall and wide at medium rate. Hardy to UK zone 8. Flowers July to August with seeds ripening October to December. Hermaphrodite. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with mildly acid to very alkaline pH. Tolerates semi-shade or full sun, and grows in dry or moist soil with drought tolerance.

Description

A slender straggling shrub. It grows to 5 m high. The branches are very spiny. They have many pairs of thorns, one straight and one curved over. The stems arch over. The stems are zigzag. The leaves are alternate and arranged in 2 opposite ranks. They are oval and have teeth and have 3 veins along them. They are shiny green and have short stalks. The flowers are yellowish-green and borne in clusters. The flowers have a slight perfume. The woody fruit is up to 3 cm across. They are flat and circular. The fruit are red.

Edible Uses

It is viewed as an ornamental curiosity, grown for its odd-looking discus-like fruit, and is cultivated in some areas outside its native range, including western Europe north to Great Britain. It is locally naturalised in northwestern Africa, northern India, Hungary, and in the United States in Texas.

Traditional Uses

The fruit is eaten fresh or dried.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Root is anticathartic, astringent, diuretic, and tonic.

Distribution

It is a warm temperate plant. On dry sandy hills up to 3000 m altitude. It grows best in well drained soil in full sunlight. It prefers soil with lime. It can tolerate drought once established. It suits hardiness zones 8-10.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Central Asia, China, Croatia, Europe, France, Georgia, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Mediterranean, Middle East, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed. They are best sown when freshly ripe. Plants cna be grown from cuttings of half ripe wood. They can also be grown from root cuttings. Plants can also be grown by layering.

Propagation

Seed sown fresh in cold frame, moved to greenhouse in February with fair to good germination. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough and overwinter in greenhouse for first year before early summer planting. Half-ripe cuttings taken July/August in frame. Root cuttings 4cm long taken December in greenhouse with fair to good success. Layering also possible.

Other Uses

Used for hedging with loose but bushy growth habit. Scented plant.

Other Information

Young fruit are especially eaten by children.

Notes

There are 8 Paliuris species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Astre, Crna draca, Dalike, Darzee, Draca, Karacali, Kolacci, Kolaci, Navadni derak, Zee

References (16)

• Ahiskali, M., Ari, C. & Selvi, S., Edible wild plants and their consumption during winterin a rural village of Kazdagi (Mount Ida)
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 129 (As Paliuris spina-christi)
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 978 (As Paliuris spina-christi)
• Dolina, K. & Luczaj, L., 2014, Wild food plants used on the Dubrovnik coast (south-eastern Croatia) Acta Soc Bot Pol 83(3):175–181
• Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement

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