Schizandra bay

The bay schizandra is the fruit of China's schizandra or schizandra chinensis, a tree liana of the schizandra family. China schizandra is called wu wei zi in Chinese which literally means fruit with 5 flavors. It has been one of the most important plants in Chinese and Russian pharmacopoeia for millennia. Up to 9 to 10 metres long, it gives small red berries grouped into clusters. The bay schizandra is harvested in autumn and then dried before being used in herbal medicine. It is called wu wei zi in Chinese which literally means fruit with 5 flavors. This small fruit combines all tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and spicy.