Stachyurus praecox (Early Stachyurus)

Prized for its unique winter blooms, Stachyurus praecox is a spreading large deciduous shrub of great winter beauty. While dormant and leafless, pendant racemes of 10-20 flower buds, resembling strings of pearls, hang in a row from each gracefully arching branch. In late winter to early spring, they will elongate to 4 in. long (10 cm), and the flower buds will open to reveal small, bell-shaped, pale yellow flowers. The foliage of slender-pointed, medium green leaves clothes the plant (sometimes sparsely) throughout the growing season and turns pleasant rosy-red, and yellow in fall.

Featuring an open, upright, spreading habit, this unusual flowering shrub sports slender, polished-looking, chestnut-brown branches, which contrast nicely with the pale flowers and look dramatic in the winter garden.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows up to 4-10 ft. tall (120-300 cm) and 3-8 ft. wide (90-240 cm).
• A full sun to part shade lover, this plant is best grown in light, neutral to acidic, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. Provide a sheltered location to prevent damage from cold, drying winter winds.
• Great flowering shrub for mixed shrub borders, woodland gardens, or against a wall.
• Low maintenance, this plant is generally pest and disease-free.
• Since this shrub flowers on old wood, pruning should be done in early spring immediately after flowering.
• Propagate by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings
• Native to Japan