Malaisia spp.

crow ash

Moraceae

Tropical Asia to Australia and the Pacific

Attracts Pollinators

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 10–11

Overview

Malaisia spp. is a small genus in the mulberry family (Moraceae), usually treated as the single widespread species Malaisia scandens, a woody climber or scrambling shrub of tropical and subtropical regions from southern and southeastern Asia through Malesia to northern and eastern Australia and the Pacific. Stems are slender and twining to scrambling, woody at the base, and exude a milky latex when cut. The leaves are alternate, simple, oval, and rough-textured, with toothed margins. Plants are dioecious; male flowers form slender catkin-like spikes, while female flowers are clustered in small heads that develop into small, fleshy, red to orange fruits eaten by birds. The species grows in rainforest, monsoon forest, vine thickets, and forest margins, climbing into the canopy where support is available. Bark and other parts have been used traditionally as a fish poison and in folk medicine. It grows in warm, frost-free climates in moist, fertile, well-drained soil in sun to part shade.

Native Range

Native to the tropics and subtropics from southern and southeastern Asia through Malesia to the Pacific islands and northern and eastern Australia, where it grows in rainforest, monsoon forest, and vine thickets.

Suggested Uses

Grown occasionally on fences, trellises, and pergolas in tropical and subtropical gardens for screening and as a habitat plant, since the fruits feed native birds. In the wild it forms part of rainforest and vine-thicket vegetation. It has traditional uses for fiber, fish poison, and folk remedies.

How to Identify

Recognized as a woody, twining to scrambling climber with milky sap and alternate, oval, sandpaper-rough leaves that have toothed edges. Male plants bear slender, catkin-like flower spikes; female plants carry small clusters that ripen into fleshy red to orange fruits. The rough leaf surface and milky latex help separate it from similar climbers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height10' - 30'

Width/Spread5' - 15'

Colors

Flower Colors

green

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~16 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering occurs over much of the year in warm climates, with peaks in spring and summer. The small greenish flowers are borne on separate male and female plants and are not showy. Red to orange fruits follow on female plants and are taken by fruit-eating birds.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

greenish, inconspicuous

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

Establishes and climbs within a few years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in warm, humid, frost-free climates in moist, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. As a climber it needs trees, a trellis, or other support to scramble over and can grow vigorously where conditions suit. The milky latex can stain and irritate the skin, and the bark has a history of use as a fish poison. Established plants tolerate short dry spells but not frost or hard freezes. Few serious pests affect it. It can self-seed from bird-dropped fruit and spread along forest edges.

Pruning

Pruning is used to control size and spread, cutting back long stems to keep the climber within bounds. It tolerates hard cutting and regrows from the base and lower stems. Removing fruit before it ripens limits self-seeding from bird dispersal.