PLANT OF THE WEEK

DECAISNEA FARGESII

SOMETIMES known as dead man’s fingers, Decaisnea is an interesting large shrub or small tree that has a number of qualities making it suitable for many plots.

It’s multi-stemmed with attractive pinnate foliage that turns golden before falling in autumn. The real curiosity is in the wonderful intense blue fruit it produces that give rise to its common name – it is also known as the blue bean shrub. Long sausage-like fruits hang in groups and are eaten by the indigenous people of Sikkim in India.

Grow in full sun or partial shade with shelter from cold winds.