Celastrus rosthornianus
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Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles
Recommended citation
'Celastrus rosthornianus' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
A deciduous scandent shrub up to 20 ft high, not downy in any part, young shoots very slender. Leaves shining green, oval-lanceolate to ovate, narrowly to broadly tapered at the base, pointed, finely toothed; 11⁄2 to 3 in. long, 1 to 11⁄2 in. wide; stalk about 1⁄4 in. long. Fruits the size of a small pea, three- or four-valved, orange yellow; they are borne two or three together in the leaf-axils and have stalks 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in. long; seed-coat scarlet.
Native of W. China; introduced by Wilson in 1910 (No. 4187). As seen at Kew this is recognisable by its very slender, often pendulous, branches and shining leaves. It bears large crops of its handsome fruits which, after splitting, remain on the shoots until well into the new year, showing the red-coated seeds. Trained up stout stakes it makes a pleasing graceful thicket. Pith lamellate.