Culture
Easily grown in moderately fertile, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Flueggea suffruticosa is an upright, arching, deciduous shrub of the spurge family that typically grows to 6’ tall and to 5’ wide. It is native to forest margins and slopes in China, Russia (Siberia), Japan, Korea and Mongolia. Alternate, ovate, yellow-green leaves (to 2 ½” long) turn an often attractive buttery yellow in fall. This shrub is dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants). Apetalous, axillary, greenish-white flowers (each to ¾” wide) bloom in mid-summer (July-August). Female flowers are single and male flowers are in clusters. Pollinated flowers on female plants are followed by dehiscent green fruit capsules which mature to brown in September-October before splitting open to explosively expel ripened seed.
This shrub is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs in Chinese herbalism. Plants contain securinine (central nervous system stimulant), with the leaves and flowers being medicinally used in the treatment of contusions, paralysis and neurasthemia.
This shrub was formerly known as Securinega suffruticosa.
Genus name honors John Fluegge (1775-1816), German botanist.
Specific epithet comes from the Latin suf meaning under or beneath and fruticosa
meaning somewhat shrubby.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Woodland gardens. Wood margins. Screen. Interesting shrub that is uncommonly grown in the U.S.