Appearance
It has soft, hollow, upright green stems 1–2 m tall, which only last for 2–5 years before collapsing and being replaced by new stems from the roots. The leaves are opposite, dark green, 6–18 cm long and 4–9 cm broad, with an entire or wavy margin. The flowers are produced on 5–10 cm long pendulous racemes; each flower is small, white, subtended by a purple bract. The fruit is a soft purple-black berry 1 cm diameter, eaten by birds which disperse the seeds.
Naming
The generic name was coined by Nathaniel Wallich, director of the Calcutta Botanic Garden, in honour of his friend William Leycester, a judge in the native court in Bengal.
Habitat
Leycesteria formosa may be grown in moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It can be pruned back hard if desired. It is often found naturalised in the wild in southern England. In Ireland it is found in roadsides, planted wooded areas, and riverbanks. It is also recorded as ''Symphoricarpos rivularis'' Sukdorf.References:
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