Japanese Raison Tree (Hovenia dulcis) is a beautiful fast growing edible ornamental that is also used in reforestation projects due to its fast growth and attractiveness to wildlife. Native to many areas of Asia it is found from Thailand up into the 6,000" range of the Himalayas. The stem of the fruit is fleshy and sweet and is eaten fresh, cooked or dried like raisons. The drupe is boiled down to make a honey like substance and is used along with other plant parts in various Korean, Chinese and Japanese traditional medicines. In temperate areas it usually grows about 30 feet tall and its wood is hard and used for fine woodworking projects. Hardy Zones 5-9.