Genus Styrax

Styrax obassia Photo/Illustration: Michael Dirr

STY-raks

In the genus Styrax are 100 or so species of shrubs, some evergreen, from the woods and thickets of Europe, Asia, and North America. The delicate, nodding, bell- or cup-shaped white flowers are fragrant and appear on the previous year's wood. Styrax lends a graceful air to the garden when grown as a specimen or in a woodland garden.
Noteworthy characteristics: Graceful growth habit. Delicate, fragrant white flowers in spring or summer.
Care: Plant in a spot sheltered from wind. Grow in moist but well-drained, fertile, organically rich, neutral to acidic soil in full sun or partial shade. Prune when dormant.
Propagation: As soon as seed is ripe, sow at 59°F. After three months, keep at 32° to 41°F for three more months. Take greenwood cuttings in summer.
Problems: Infrequent.

Species, varieties and cultivars for genus Styrax

Styrax japonicus
(Japanese snowbell and cvs.) Be the first to rate this plant

Hardiness Zones:

Japanese snowbell is a compact, deciduous tree with a graceful spreading habit. In late spring, it produces hanging clusters of sweetly scented, bell-shaped white flowers. Minutely toothed, bright green leaves have a clean, fresh look in all but the driest conditions. Attractive fine twigs are borne on slender, somewhat-layered branches, and the bark is a smooth gray-brown. ‘Pink Chimes' bears abundant, dangling clusters of pale pink flowers.

Styrax obassia
(Fragrant snowbell)

(1 user review)

Hardiness Zones:

This plant is a small tree or large shrub reaching 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide. It starts out in a pyramidal shape and becomes more open with age. Fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers are borne on 4-inch to 8-inch long chains. Flowers dangle from rounded, dark green foliage in late spring, followed by small light brown fruits that usually drop by late fall.