Bone-knitted Lotus is an flowering, edible subshrub native to tropical and sub-tropical Asia. In native habitats, it is most often found in thickets, forests, slopes and roadsides. It has a somewhat woody base and will reach a mature size of 3 feet high and wide. The plant produces showy, bright red berries that can last on the plant for up to a year. Bone-knitted Lotus does best in consistently moist, well drained soil in a shaded or protected site. If left exposed to full sun, the leaves can tend to burn. With its long-lasting, bright red berries it would be an attractive plant in a shade garden. Severe winter cold may appear to kill the plant, but it will usually recover in the next growing season.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Leathery
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves will burn if not shaded from the winter sun.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers greenish-white in terminal clusters on each stem.
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Long-lasting; Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Terminal clusters of 1/8 inch, bright orange-red berries that last over 12 months.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, Japan, Philippines
Distribution
India, Vietnam, Malaya
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Seeds
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
The seeds can be dried and roasted and used as a subsitute for sesame seeds.
Uses (ethnobotany)
An herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for bone and joint pain as well as bleeding disorders.