Debregeasia edulis 'Elite' commonly known as Shui Ma, Yanagi Ichigo or Suhosine Mulberry belongs to the family Urticaceae, aka Nettle. Unlike the other members of this family, the Debregeasia genus does not have stinging hairs. It is a large shrub (it can reach a height of 13 feet) that displays leaves with deep green upper sides and silvery-white lower sides. Yanagi Ichigo blooms during spring with long spires of small, white globose glomerules arranged in dense clusters on red stems, interspersed with leaves on reddish branchlets. The Shui Ma plant is dioecious. But 'Elite' is a female parthenocarpic cultivar that can produces seedless fruits without pollination. The fruits are edible, resembling small orange blackberries. It remains on the plant for many weeks, and is quite wonderfully ornamental. Fruits can be used to make wines and flavour savoury dishes, and for a number of traditional medicinal purposes. The bark of Debregeasia edulis is used for its high-quality fibre. In the wild, Shui Ma prefers to grow in fertile, moist places by streams and in mountain valleys. Therefore, it is crucial to water it regularly to keep the soil moist. Suhosine Mulberry can grow in full sun to partial shade. It is known for its fast growth, and it can quickly fill empty spaces in your landscape.
