Phytolacca dioica

Phytolacca dioica, also known as the Dioecious Raisin Tree, is one of those few plants whose picturesque appearance instantly evokes the tropics. Its often multiple trunks widen into a very broad and swollen base, giving it a venerable look. In reality, one should not be fooled, because it is a fast-growing tree. It quickly forms an imposing mass of vegetation, often as wide as it is tall, which makes it successful as a shade tree in hot Mediterranean areas. Its beautiful shiny dark green leaves are evergreen and decorative, as is its white spring flowering. Not very hardy.

Phytolacca gave its name to the family Phytolaccaceae, which includes only 18 genera, of which it is the most well-known. The 25 species of Phytolacca include herbs, bushes, and pachycaul trees, which is the case for P. dioica (syn. Pircunia dioica). Also known as the elephant tree, it does indeed form a caudex, which is a swollen stump that allows it to store water to withstand periods of drought (like the baobab, probably the most famous of bottle trees, another name for these particular plants). Native to subtropical to tropical America, it can reach a height of about twenty metres in these climates. Down there, it is called ombu. The Castilians nickname it Bella sombra, the Catalans Bella ombra, and the French Bel ombrage or Phytolaque en arbre.

In France, it is mainly found on the Var coast and in Corsica, where it usually forms a tree about 10 metres (33 feet) tall with a more or less equivalent width. A magnificent specimen can be admired at the Jardin Baudouvin, in La Valette-du-Var, spreading widely from 4 main trunks, 2 of which are fused at the base. As it grows rapidly, even young plants of about ten years already have a "monstrous" appearance, with a very wide base, as if planted on the ground, often showing protuberances like bulges, giving it the look of a giant bonsai. The trunk is rarely single, generally dividing from the base, allowing it to open like an umbrella and cover a relatively large surface area. That is why it is often planted as a shade tree in Mediterranean countries.
Evergreen, it bears an abundance of elliptical to lanceolate large leaves, measuring up to 20cm (8in) long. Of a beautiful dark green colour, their surface is glossy, and they resemble frangipani leaves, enhancing its tropical appearance. As its species name suggests, it is a dioecious plant, so there are male and female plants. Both flower in elongated clusters (racemes) about ten centimetres long, hanging down and composed of small white flowers. The female flowers then develop into yellow and then purple fruits when ripe.

Having inherited its tropical origin, this tree has low hardiness, withstanding temperatures of around -5°C (23°F) to -7°C (19.4°F) for a well-established plant. Combined with its need for light and heat, this limits its potential planting zone to the French Riviera. It can withstand periods of drought once well-rooted. It should be planted far enough away from the house, as its shallow roots spread widely. A tree with a distinctive aesthetic, it is unmatched for creating an exotic scene in gardens along the Mediterranean coast. It will form the background of a bed where other tropical-looking plants can be planted alongside it, such as the Spider Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana), with its velvety veined leaves and incredible blue-violet flowers that resemble certain exotic butterflies. The Myrtle-leaf Milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia), a small shrub with a rounded habit, covered in pink-violet pea-like flowers for most of the year, will also be a perfect companion, as well as the Flamboyant d'Hyères (Sesbania punicea) with its incredible orange-red flowers.

Note: all parts of the Phytolacca dioica are toxic, so children should be kept away and hands should be washed after any handling (the sap is also toxic, so be careful when pruning with secateurs).