Scientific Name: Decaisnea insignis
Common Name: dead man's fingers
Family Name: Lardizabalaceae
Origin: S.E. Asia / Japan / China
Hardiness Zone: Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Plant Type: Shrub - deciduous
Mature Size: 3 - 5m x 3 - 4m (height x width)
Habit: Arching, Upright
Form: Vase
Texture: Medium - fine
Landscape Uses: Fall interest, Mixed shrub border, Woodland margin
Exposure: Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil or Media: Humus rich, Well-drained
Leaves: Compound, Alternate, Soft flexible, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Odd-pinnate, Ovate, Entire
Flowers: Raceme, May
Fruit: Follicle, Blue, Sep-Oct
Key ID Features:
Leaves bright green, pinnately compound, 40-80cm long with 13-25 leaflets that are ovate to elliptic and up to 15cm long x 4cm wide; florets 2-3 cm wide, bright green-yellow, in pendent panicles 30-45cm long; pods about 10cm long, dull metallic blue. Winter ID: twigs thick; leaf scars large and heart-shaped; buds appressed, ovoid, pointed.