Scientific name: Stewartia pseudocamellia
Family: THEACEAE
Common names: “Japanese stewartia” “deciduous camellia”
Plant Type: Deciduous tree
Conditions:
Zone: 5-8
Light: Full sun – part shade
Exposure: Sheltered from strong winds essential
Soil: Rich acidic soil
Moisture: Average – moist well drained
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 30-60′ W 20-25′ , slow growing
Leaf and Stem shape: Pronounced zig-zaggy stems and colourful peeling bark, with simple leaves turning red-orange in fall
Flower: Cupped, 5-petalled, white flowers borne in the leaf axils
Pruning: Minimal/ none, only prune out DDD’s, and maybe thin out some branches to the main stem
Maintenance: Do not transplant this tree
Landscape use: 4 seasons interest, architectural, mixed flower borders, focal point, species tree
Propagate: By seed and cuttings
Pests & Disease: None in Victoria, sensitive to herbicides
Comments: ~AGM winner, exquisite tree
Cultivars: ~AGM winner: S. p. Koreana Group