Planting Width for Schisandra

The Planting Site

• Before deciding on the spacing for a magnolia vine, create a good soil environment in a suitable spot. Schisandra grows well in full shade or part shade. It tolerates sun as long as it gets some protection during the heat of the day. Work organic matter, such as leaf mold, sawdust, compost or manure, into the ground before you plant the vine. Plant schisandra in deep soil with good drainage and plenty or organic matter. A slightly acidic soil environment is ideal.

Spacing in Rows

• When you cultivate schisandra vines for the berries, plant them in rows; space the plants 25 inches apart. Schisandra is a woody, climbing vine. Its stems grow and twine around a trellis or other structure.

  Provide the vines with a trellis system; one designed for growing grapes works well. Make a trellis by sinking a 9-foot tall post 3 feet deep into the soil at each end of the row. Run rust-resistant wire between the two posts.

Male and Female Plants

• Schisandra plants are either male or female. If you want to harvest berries from the vines, plant both male and female plants in the same area. Space the vines 2 to 3 feet apart to allow bees and butterflies to move easily between the plants. If you are growing magnolia vine purely for its ornamental value, you don't need both male and female plants.

Schisandra in the Garden

• As a climbing, flowering woody vine, schisandra adds a strong vertical element to the landscape. Hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness Zone 4, magnolia vine is suited for planting in cold regions where temperatures often drop to minus 30 F.

  Space the plants 2 to 4 feet apart. This fast-growing vine can reach up to 25 feet high in a season under ideal growing conditions. Train it over an arbor or up a wall or trellis, or prune it into a tidy shrub and keep it in a patio planter.