Native to East Asia, the Idesia is known in Japan as Igiri and in China as the Wonder Tree. It has been introduced to only a few other parts of the world including New York and New Zealand, where it brings a welcome splash of colour to our streets and gardens in winter.

A member of the willow family, it is drought resistant and can grow to a height of about 20 metres. The flowers occur in panicles up to 30 cm long and are small, yellowish-green and truly insignificant. Male and female flowers occur on separate trees and the female flowers only are fragrant. Its large heart-shaped leaves turn a light yellow colour before falling in autumn, but it is the spectacular drupes of bright red berries that adorn the female tree in winter that are without doubt its most wondrous feature.

Although some sources claim the berries are unattractive to birds, they are apparently quite edible. Tree Trust members have observed with delight that in late winter the native pigeon (keruru) sometimes feed happily on the berries of this Idesia near the Tree Trust depot. Moreover, scientific studies in China in the last couple of years show the berries of at least 15 varieties of Idesia to be a good source of high-quality vegetable oil with excellent antioxidant properties. When the fruit is dried, powdered and the oil then extracted, tests show the oil to be rich in minerals, fatty acids, tocopherols, flavonoids, sterols and polyphenols. Maybe a new commercial crop and not merely a street tree?