Description
Poliothyrsis –
There is a sole spices of a small, shrub like deciduous tree, in this genus. They occur mountain woodland in Central China. Pliothyrsis is grown for its glossy, dark green, dentate leaves and fragrant, papery summer flowers, which change in color from greenish white to yellow. Male flowers are 1/5″ across, female flowers are bigger from 1/4-3/8″ across, at the end of the inflorescenes. Grow as a specimen or among other tree in a woodland setting.
P. sinensis – This spreading, deciduous tree from Central China grows 2-20′ feet tall and 2-8′ feet wide. It has gray bark, which is deeply furrowed in mature trees. It produces ovate, slender pointed, glossy, dark green leaves, to 6″ long, which are red tinged when young, and are held alternately on red stalks. In mid and late summer, white buds open to fragrant, tiny, cup shaped, papery flowers, greenish white then yellow, which are borne in terminal conical panicles, to 10″ long. Female flowers are slightly larger than the males.
Grow in fertile, well drained soil in full sun or partial shade, with shelter from cold, drying winds.
Zones 7-9
