Family: Lardizabalaceae
Scientific name: Decaisnea fargesii
Common name: Blue sausage shrub
Origin: Himalaya

The blue sausage shrub is a hardy shrub that initially grew at an altitude up to 3000 meters high in the Himalayas, with blue-green leaves and purple branches. The blue fruits are about 10 cm in length and contain a sweet, edible pulp that is similar to the flavour of the watermelon. The seeds and skin are inedible and even poisonous! The shrub can be six meters high, but it is good to prune.

Sowing description: First soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 24 hours. Then sow them in sowing mix and put the jars in the fridge for 2 months (cold stratification). Let them germinate afterwards at around 20 degrees Celcius and thereby keep the soil constantly moist.

Sowing time: November - May
Difficulty: Intermediate
Minimum temperature: -20 degrees Celcius

Photo 2: Milan Havlis