Genus Stewartia

Stewartia pseudocamellia Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

stew-AR-tee-ah Synonyms: Stuartia

The genus Stewartia includes deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs in 15 to 20 species hailing from woodlands in East Asia and the southeastern U.S. Rarely bothered by pests or diseases, they are grown for their attractive peeling bark, their pretty leaf color in autumn, and their cup-shaped white flowers. They make beautiful specimens.
Noteworthy characteristics: Peeling bark. Good fall color. Cup-shaped white flowers.
Care: Grow in moist but well-drained, humusy, neutral to acidic soil of moderate fertility in full sun or dappled shade. Choose a site sheltered from strong winds. Older plants resent being transplanted.
Propagation: Plants can be layered in autumn, or propagated from greenwood cuttings in early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer to late summer. Sow seed in a cold frame in autumn.
Problems: Infrequent.

Species, varieties and cultivars for genus Stewartia

Stewartia pseudocamellia
(Japanese stewartia) Be the first to rate this plant

Hardiness Zones:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

A multi-stemmed, deciduous tree with a rounded columnar form, stewartia features stunning bark that exfoliates in strips of gray, orange, and reddish brown once the trunk attains a diameter of 2 to 3 inches. Serrated foliage emerges bronzy purple in spring, develops into a dark green by summer, and turns red or orange in the fall. In midsummer, "glamorous" white camellia-like flowers open in random succession and are followed by pointed brown seed pods, which are persistent but not very ornamental.

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