Stewartia monadelpha

Stewartia monadelpha, sometimes erroneously called False Camellia Stewartia, is an Asian bush related to the camellia. This Stewartia is well known to bonsai enthusiasts who appreciate it for its regularly layered silhouette, extremely decorative bark, and splendid autumn colours. It is also a very beautiful garden shrub, of interest throughout the year, especially when it bursts into its pretty white cup-shaped flowers throughout the summer. Once established, it is hardy in the ground and can be grown in partial shade, in the company of other plants that also appreciate moist environments and neutral to acidic, low-limestone soils.

Stewartia monadelpha, very popular in Japan where it features prominently along the streets of Tokyo, belongs to the family Theaceae. It is endemic to Japan. This plant forms a large bush or a small tree with an upright, regular habit and a crown that is initially pyramidal and then oval and semi-open over time. Its growth is slow, reaching, in favourable climates, approximately 6m (20ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in spread at maturity. Its smooth bark sheds in thin plates of orange to purple-brown, revealing a 'new skin' of cinnamon colour. All these shades form a unique and decorative ensemble. In spring, the young leaves are tinged with pink and slightly downy when they emerge. The mature leaves are a bright, glossy green until late summer. They then successively take on orange, red, purple, and violet tones before falling late in autumn. These are entire, leathery leaves, broadly dentate along the edge. The flowering of this Stewartia is among the most modest of the genus, but the small size of the flowers is compensated for by their abundance. Flowering typically begins in June and continues until August. The solitary flowers appear in the axils of the leaves. In the form of open cups, they are composed of white petals surrounding a yellow heart with violet stamens. This flowering gives way to numerous curious fruits, similar to small winged walnuts, measuring about 2.5 cm (1in) by 1.5 cm (0.6in)

A shrub used to a rather humid climate and non-alkaline soil, Stewartia monadelpha is sensitive to severe frost when young and will also suffer after it is established when frost persists over time. It will be more sensitive to cold when grown in a pot as opposed to in the ground. It can be planted in the garden in isolation or in combination with other acid-loving plants (Rhododendron, azaleas, Hydrangea, Hamamelis) in a flowering hedge. It deserves a prominent location, at the entrance of the garden, by the house, or at the bend of a path. One might surround its base with autumn bulbs, such as colchicums or cyclamens of Naples. As the shrub seems to tolerate slightly limestone soils, it can also be planted alongside Calycanthus venus, Hamamelis, Clethra barbinervis and Fothergilla, charming shrubs that are sometimes overlooked.

This Stewartia, one of the most spectacular of the genus, reaches 15 to 20m (49 to 66ft) in height in the forests of Honshu Island in Japan. Giant specimens have been observed on Yakushima Island - these venerable subjects are said to be two to three hundred years old. The most beautiful specimens, spared from felling, are often found close to temples and other sacred places.