Maclura tricuspidata (syn. Cudrania tricuspidata)

The Mandarin Melon Berry is a plant with many names including Che, Chinese Mulberry, Cudrang, and Silkworm Thorn. A close relative to Mulberries and Figs, Che is a cold-hardy, compact, and ornamental tree that produces a high-quality fruit. Looking much like some kind of giant raspberry on a tree, Che is actually most closely related to the Osage Orange native to the midwestern United States. However, unlike the common Osage Orange, Che is edible and delicious.

Native to the highlands of the Himalayas of China and Nepal, Che is an extremely cold hardy and winter deciduous plant. When grown from seed or from cuttings and on their own roots, Che grows to become a large shrub reaching just six feet in height and width. However when grafted to Osage Orange rootstock, as our plants are, Che trees can eventually reach up to twenty feet in height.

While Che has both male and female plants in nature, the plants we offer for sale are a self-fertile female selection, so only one plant is needed for fruit set. Our seeds available will naturally produce both male and female plants, so if you plan on growing these from seed, plan on planting multiple seedlings to guarantee fruit production. Seeds come in packs of 10 dried seeds.

Cold hardy to USDA zones 5a and above, or to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.