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In 2025 I was able to buy a couple of liners from a nursery that was reducing stock before winter. I have potted one and planted the other in the garden where it
coloured well in autumn. Trees and Shrubs online says: "Tall Stewartia is the English name adopted by Dirr (2009) for this species, which in the wild can become very large. There are some striking images of huge trees taken by Ernest Wilson in Japan in the Harvard collection, and specimens up to 25 m have been known. In gardens it has not yet achieved such stature, but individuals up to 14 m are recorded from southern England (Johnson 2011). It is said to have been introduced in 1903 (Armitage, Edwards & Lancaster 2014) but details have not been traced. The bark is subdued in comparison to other species, but still peels nicely and becomes an attractive mottle of fawn and cinnamon. The flowers, too, are smaller than most species, but are borne in great abundance, and are surrounded by large bracteoles that are said to suggest green butterflies (Hsu, Boland & Camelbeke 2008). The comment in the Hillier Manual (Armitage, Edwards & Lancaster 2014, and earlier editions) that it has violet anthers is incorrect. In autumn it colours well, becoming scarlet in areas where there is a long hot summer, but more purple in cooler areas. Dirr (2009) implies that it only colours well every few years, but mentions that the leaves persist until sharp frosts occur in December. In the southeastern USA it is very tolerant of heat and exposure to sun, and Dirr recommends it over S. pseudocamellia for this area." |
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| 15th September 2025 | ||
