Decaisnea fargesii - Blue sausage fruit

The Decaisnea fargesii is a bush with beautiful clusters of cream-yellow flowers, followed by large turquoise pods, which are highly decorative in autumn.

Native to mountainous areas of China, the Decaisnea fargesii is a medium-sized bush measuring 4m (13 ft) in height and 2m (6 ft 7 in) in width. Its habit is slender and widens with time.

Highly decorative, its foliage is deciduous, odd-pinnate, and composed of 13 to 23 pale green leaflets. It bears long clusters of cream-yellow flowers in early summer, which hang slightly. The flowers form a star with 5 branches.

In autumn, large turquoise pods resembling giant beans develop on the bush. Highly decorative, they contain black seeds surrounded by translucent, sticky flesh.

Very hardy, Decaisnea fargesii grows in sun or partial shade in moist and light soil. Beware of late spring frosts that can damage young shoots. Plant it on the edge of woodland, near a house, in an exotic or contemporary garden, alongside plants with luxuriant foliage: Rodgersias, bamboos, hostas, Chinese palm, or Gunnera.