An unusual tree that is catching our visitor’s notice is Idesia polycarpa, sometimes called the iigiri tree. Winterthur has two young plants near the White Gates in the Pinetum. Our plants are currently bearing clusters of bright orange berries. The berries will ripen to red and turn black as they age. Each tree will bear either male or female flowers so both are needed for fruit production.
This small tree comes from China and Japan and is rarely found in American gardens. Mr. du Pont was planting Idesia at Winterthur in the 1960’s. As part of the restoration of the Pinetum, four young iigiri trees were replanted 2003.
