Stachyurus chinensis Celina

Stachyurus chinensis 'Celina' is a little-known bush that deserves to be more often found in gardens with non-calcareous soil. It is no more difficult to grow than witch hazels and offers an equally unique late winter flowering, as well as stunning autumn colours. Its long arched stems, still devoid of leaves, are adorned with pendulous and airy clusters filled with small yellowish-green bells, extremely graphic, and then with very bright sulphur yellow shoots. It is against a dark-coloured wall, in moist soil, that this infinitely graceful bush will be best valued.

Stachyurus chinensis is a sarmentous bush, semi-climbing, one of the rare members of the Stachyuraceae family. It originates from China, as its name suggests. It is a plant that requires light, moist and acidic soil exclusively, but is very tolerant regarding exposure. It can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C (5 °F), but its flowering fears late frosts and dry, cold winds. Its deciduous foliage falls in autumn and reappears in spring. The cultivar 'Celina' differentiates itself with its slightly more compact habit, increased floribundity, and larger flowers. This variety has been rewarded by the Royal Horticultural Society in England.

It has a bushy and spreading habit, supported by long flexible stems. With rapid growth, this bush will reach approximately 3m (10ft) in height by 2.50m (8ft) in spread in a few years. The first advantage of 'Celina' is its early flowering, which starts in March, very visible on its reddish to violet branches before the leaves appear. Its flowers are small creamy-white bells slightly tinted with green and yellow, gathered in slender pendulous clusters of about 10cm (3.9in). The young shoots and the sulphur-yellow buds, equally decorative, take over at the beginning of spring. In autumn, it is the turn of the leaves to offer a fabulous spectacle: they turn yellow and then change to pink, purple, red, and orange. The foliage consists of glossy, paper-thin, ovate to oblong leaves with serrated margins.

The spreading habit of this bush, its precious flowering, and its autumn colours make it an elegant subject in a border, as a standalone plant, or even against a south or west-facing wall which will enhance a more abundant flowering. Its flower clusters will stand out well against a bamboo screen or a dark background of yew, boxwood, or conifers. For example, associate it with witch hazels, Corylopsis, Styrax, deciduous Euonymus, Itea, Pieris, Clethra, sweetshrub (Calycanthus), or even Hydrangea paniculata and caramel trees, which appreciate the same environments. It will also adapt to container cultivation to decorate the terrace or balcony.