Rarely seen very pretty tree with bell shaped, fragrant pink flowers. The lavish display makes the spreading, tiered, leafy branches look like their undersides are plastered with snow. Its picturesque habit, lush foliage, smooth grey bark, and slightly fluted and contorted branches give it ample year-round interest.
Attractive pearl-sized whitish green fruits follow the flowers. The lustrous dark green leaves have paler undersides and a pointed, sometimes curled tip. The foliage turns bronzy-yellow in late fall, if not first nipped by heavy frost.
Plant Japanese snowbell in full sun or partial shade in a moist, acidic, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Not fond of excessive summer heat or drought, it prefers some shade in hot climates. It makes a lovely specimen tree in the lawn or mixed border, and is particularly stunning planted as a clustered grove, allowing you to walk under the flowering branches.
Sow at any time of the year. Sow very thinly in trays or pots of moist, good quality seed compost, lightly cover with compost and seal inside a polythene bag. Maintain an optimum temperature of 18-21C for 3 months, then place the container in the fridge for a further 4 months. Then, return to 18-21C and germination should take place. Throughout this process check regularly and ensure the compost does not dry out.
Alternatively, sow as above, seal in a polythene bag and place in a cold frame or sheltered part of the garden and let nature take its course as the seasons change.
Additional rare and unusual seed varieties are constantly being added.
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