Description
Prinsepia –
There are 3 or 4 species of arching, spiny, deciduous shrubs in the rose family in this genus. They occur from woodland and thickets in the Himalayas to Northern China and into Tibet and Taiwan. They have peeling gray brown bark. They are grown for their linear to elliptic or oblong-lance shaped leaves, which are smooth edged or sparsely toothed, which are rich green on opening, later glossy or dull dark green. They are also valued for their fragrant, 5 petaled, cup shaped, white to yellow flowers with golden anthers. Flowers are followed by edible, cherry like, spherical or ovoid, first yellow then ripening to purple or deep red fruit. Grow pinsepias in a shrub border, against a wall, or as aa hedge, the leaves appear early, and are an excellent foil for other early flowering shrubs.
Grow in fertile or moderately fertile, well drained but not dry soil in full sun or part shade, in an open position with room to spread.
P. sinensis – Cherry prinsepia – This loose, spreading, deciduous shrub from Northeastern China grows 6′ feet tall and 6-10′ feet wide. From arching, light gray brown branches with sharp spines it carries lance shaped, pointed, smooth or slightly toothed edge, finely hairy, bright green leaves, to 3″ long. In spring it bears clusters of up to 8 cup shaped, bright yellow 5 petalled, fragrant flowers, ½” in diameter are held along the entire stem length. Flowers are followed by ovoid, red to purple fruit, ½” across, with a good flavor.
Zones 3-7
