Styrax japonicus- Japanese Snowbell
Description
General: A small, low branched, deciduous flowering tree with a rounded crown and wide spreading branches. Grows 20 to 30’ in height.
Leaves: Alternate, simple and elliptic, 1 to 3” long. Medium green in the summer changing to yellowish or reddish in the fall (not particularly showy).
Bark: Gray brown and smooth with orange brown fissures.
Flowers: Pendulous clusters of bell shaped, 5 petaled, waxy white flowers. Slightly fragrant. May to June.
Fruit: Grayish ovoid drupe, August.
Attributes: Small specimen tree for lawns, patios, shrub borders or open woodland gardens.
Culture
Hardiness: Zones 5-8.
Growing Conditions: Prefers moist, acid, well drained soils high in organic matter in full sun or part shade.
Maintenance: Ambrosia beetle, canker.
Transplanting: Easily transplanted to well-draining soil high in organic matter.
Our Experience
Experience at Great Hill
We feature Styrax ‘Pink Chimes’ at the entrance to our Japanese garden. It’s the perfect tree to feature on a hill or slope so the flowers are more easily seen. Styrax is an ideal specimen tree for the small landscape for late spring/early summer interest.
Styrax Bloom Data
| Year | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | June 6 | June 20 | July 3 |
| 2021 | May 24 | June 6 | June 17 |
| 2022 | May 31 | June 9 | June 22 |
| 2023 | NO BLOOM |