Description
Enkianthus –
There are about 10 species of mainly deciduous shrubs, rarely evergreen, occasionally trees, in this genus. They occur in scrub and woodland from the Himalayas to Japan. They are grown for their terminal umbels or corymb like racemes of white, pink, or red, bell or urn shaped flowers, usually 1/4-3/8″ long, borne from mid spring to early summer, and for their simple, lance shaped to elliptic-obovate, usually toothed, alternate leaves, which turn various shades of orange and red in autumn. These plants are best grown in an open site in a woodland garden.
Grow in humus rich, moist but well drained, acidic to neutral soil in full sun or partial shade.
E. perulatus – White E. – This compact, deciduous shrub from Japan grows 6′ feet tall and wide. It produces red tinted branches that carry elliptic to obovate, toothed, mid green leaves, to 2″ long, clustered at the ends of the shoots, are downy on the mid ribs beneath and turn brilliant red in autumn. In mid spring it bears drooping umbels of up to 10 urn shaped, pure white or greenish white flowers.
Zones 6-8
