Description
Styrax – Snowbell –
There are approximately 100, deciduous or evergreen shrubs and small trees in this genus. They are found naturally occurring in woodlands and thickets in Eastern Asia, and North America, including Mexico, with one from Europe. They are grown for their graceful habit, flowers, and their alternate, short stalked, variably shaped smooth edged or toothed leaves. The daintily, nodding, bell shaped or sup shaped, fragrant white flowers may be solitary, borne in pendent, terminal or axillary racemes or panicles or produced in clusters on short branchlets, they appear on previous year wood in spring or summer. Grow as specimens or in a woodland garden.
Grow in moist but well drained, fertile, humus rich, neutral to acidic soil in full sun or partial shade with cool moist summers.
S. japonicus – Japanese Snowbell – Japanese Snowdrop Tree – Snowbell Tree – This graceful, spreading, deciduous tree from China, Korea, and Japan grows 20-30′ feet tall and wide. From downy young stems it carries elliptic-oblong, minutely toothed, deep green, glossy leaves, 2-3″ long, rarely turning yellow or red in autumn. In mid and late spring it bears bell shaped, white sometimes pink tinged flowers, ½” long, are held singly or in clusters of 2-6. Does best shaded from hottest sun.
Zones 6-8
