Schisandra berry (Schisandra chinensis)

Schisandra is a twining woodland-edge vine that takes a few years to settle in before it starts to fruit. Plants are usually dioecious, so you need both male and female for the distinctive red berry clusters. Expect first fruit around year four from nursery plants, with full production building gradually. The berries are known as "five-flavour berry" in Chinese medicine. Schisandra prefers a sheltered spot with dappled shade and humus-rich, moist soil — think forest edge conditions.