About
A semi-evergreen, borderline-hardy tree to 15m tall with elliptic to oblong leaves up to 16cm long. Clusters of 6-8 white flowers in racemes up to 7cm long open in spring and are followed by brown, cylindrical, woody, ribbed fruits to 8cm long.
About the genus
A genus of five species of deciduous or semi-evergreen trees, native to southeastern Asia and southwestern China. They have dark green oval or oblong-shaped foliage and frangrant, cup-shaped, pendant creamy-white flowers which appear prior to the foliage in the spring. Ribbed red fruits follow
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeLoam, Clay
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeTrees
HabitBushy
FoliageSemi evergreen
HeightHigher than 12 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesSpecimen planting, large borders, parkland settings.
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a moist but well-drained, lime-free soil in a sheltered position; may not be hardy in colder areas of the country
PruningPruning group 1
PropagationPropagate by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free