Decaisnea fargesii (Blue Sausage Plant)

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A rare and arresting presence in the garden, Decaisnea fargesii is best known for its remarkable fruit: long, sausage-shaped pods in an unmissable shade of steely blue, ripening in late summer and often lingering into autumn. Though its small spring flowers are discreet, the fruit provides a dramatic, otherworldly accent among greenery.

This deciduous shrub grows to around 2 m tall and wide, forming a dense, rounded shape with bold, pinnate foliage that brings a tropical feel to sheltered, temperate gardens. Despite its exotic looks, it’s remarkably hardy and well-suited to New Zealand growing conditions, tolerating both sun and shade in most climates.

Native to high-altitude forests in western China, Decaisnea is sometimes called "Dead Man’s Fingers" — a nod to the unusual colour and shape of its fruit, which is technically edible, though more often grown for ornamental effect.

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