The Stauntonia: Planting, Growing and Care

Botany

Stauntonias are woody, evergreen climbing plants native to East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, India, Myanmar, Taiwan, Vietnam…). They mainly grow in woodland understories, as well as on forest edges and along riverbanks. There are 20 species. The most widespread in cultivation is Stauntonia hexaphylla, which produces beautiful white or pink bell-shaped flowers in spring. It can withstand temperatures as low as -8°C, even -10°C.

Stauntonia hexaphylla: botanical illustration

Stauntonias belong to the Lardizabalaceae family, which includes climbing plants and bushes from temperate to subtropical regions. This family also includes Akebia, Holboellia and Decaisnea, which are also plants with beautiful ornamental qualities, though still rarely cultivated in gardens. Stauntonia is very close to Holboellia, and these two climbing plants are sometimes confused.

Stauntonia grows quickly and forms voluble stems that twine around their support by themselves. Its stems can reach up to 10 metres in length or height.

Stauntonia flowers in spring, in April-May, producing in the leaf axils panicles of 3 to 10 small, highly fragrant bell-shaped flowers. They form delicate, graceful, pendulous bells, measuring about 4 cm long in Stauntonia hexaphylla. They are described as campanulate flowers because their shape resembles campanula flowers. The flowers have six well-developed sepals that closely resemble petals. They have a waxy, fleshy texture and are very fine and elongated. Generally, the flowers have no petals (more rarely, there may be six discreet petals).

Stauntonia flowers have rather soft hues. Stauntonia hexaphylla produces very beautiful white-pink flowers, S. obovata has yellow flowers, while S. purpurea stands out with its dark purple flowers.

The flowering of Stauntonia hexaphylla, Stauntonia purpurea and Stauntonia chinensis (photos: KENPEI / Shihchuan / HQ)

Stauntonias are generally monoecious, but some species are dioecious. Stauntonia hexaphylla bears both male and female flowers on the same plant. Female flowers are less colourful, paler (greenish-white) than male flowers, and usually have slightly wider sepals. Male flowers have six stamens bearing pollen, while female flowers have three carpels.

Stauntonia has evergreen foliage, providing interest all year round. In spring, the new leaves emerge with a beautiful amber colour, later turning bluish-green with time. The leaves are palmate, divided into 3 to 9 leaflets with entire margins. They are thick, leathery and glossy. They resemble Schefflera foliage and measure between 7 and 15 cm long. The leaves are alternate, inserted one after another on the stem, and are borne on a long petiole.

The foliage of Stauntonia hexaphylla: young leaves with their beautiful amber colour, detail of mature leaves and leaf undersides (photos: igaguri_1 / KENPEI / Alpsdake)

With their luxuriant, beautifully palmate foliage, Stauntonias are decorative in the garden all year round, even when not in flower. They have the advantage of providing presence even in winter.

Once pollinated, the female flowers of Stauntonia produce sausage-shaped fruits in autumn, which closely resemble those of Akebia and Holboellia. These fruits measure between 5 and 10 cm in length and are purple in colour. They occur singly or in pairs (rarely in threes). They contain translucent white pulp and numerous brown seeds, which are released when the fruit reaches ripeness. These fruits are edible and are prized in Japan.

The fruits of Stauntonia hexaphylla (photos: Adobe Stock / igaguri_1)

The main varieties of Stauntonia

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Planting

Where to plant?

The Stauntonia is found growing wild in Asia in woodland undergrowth and forest edges, so it thrives in shade or partial shade. In northern France, it will tolerate a sunny position. It prefers fresh, humus-rich and rather acidic soil. It can withstand temperatures as low as -10°C, but it’s best planted in a spot sheltered from cold winds.

Plant the Stauntonia at the base of a support for climbing: this could be a pergola, arbour, garden shed, wall, fence, or large tree.

The Stauntonia also adapts well to container cultivation, making it easy to bring indoors for winter protection. This is an ideal solution for colder regions as well as chalky soils.

When to plant?

Plant the Stauntonia in spring, once the soil has warmed sufficiently and the risk of frost has passed.

How to plant?

For planting in the ground:

1. Soak the root ball in a basin of water to rehydrate it.
2. Dig a planting hole two to three times the size of the root ball.
3. Backfill with some soil mixed with well-rotted compost.
4. Remove the Stauntonia from its pot and plant it, positioning it centrally.
5. Fill around with more substrate and firm gently.
6. Water thoroughly.
7. Guide the stems onto a support to help them attach.

You can also plant the Stauntonia in a large container placed on your patio and brought indoors in winter for frost protection.

For container planting:

1. Choose a pot at least 40 cm in diameter and depth.
2. Place a 5 cm layer of gravel or clay pebbles at the base for drainage.
3. Add a mix of 1/3 potting compost, 1/3 garden soil and 1/3 well-rotted compost.
4. Plant the Stauntonia in the pot, positioning it centrally.
5. Add more compost and firm down.
6. Water thoroughly.
7. You may add a thin mulch layer on the surface.
8. Guide the branches onto their support to help them attach.

Position the pot in a shaded or partially shaded spot.

Maintenance

The Stauntonia requires little maintenance and has the advantage of being rarely affected by diseases and parasitic pests. We recommend watering during the first year, until it is well established and develops its root system, and subsequently during prolonged dry spells.

Similarly, it’s best to train the stems of the Stauntonia from time to time as it grows, helping them to twine around their support.

It doesn’t strictly need pruning, but you can still trim back its stems if you wish to control its growth a little. The best time to do this is after flowering.

Don’t hesitate to apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of the Stauntonia: this will help keep the soil cool for longer while suppressing weed growth.

Container cultivation:

If grown in a pot, you’ll need to stay vigilant and water occasionally, as the growing medium dries out much faster than in the ground. We recommend watering once or twice a week from spring to autumn, and applying a liquid fertiliser once a month. In winter, reduce watering slightly and stop fertilising.

We also advise moving the Stauntonia into a frost-free greenhouse in autumn and bringing it back out in spring, for example to place it on your terrace.

Stauntonia hexaphylla

Propagation

Sowing

Stauntonia can be propagated by sowing. The ideal method is to harvest the seeds in autumn, then place them in the refrigerator for two to three months (stratification), before sowing them.

1. Start by preparing a pot with special sowing compost.
2. Lightly firm and level the surface.
3. Scatter the seeds over the surface.
4. Cover them with a thin layer of substrate and gently firm down.
5. Water lightly with a fine spray.
6. Place the pot in a sheltered spot, in bright but indirect light, ideally at a temperature between 15 and 20°C.
7. Ensure the substrate remains slightly moist (but not waterlogged) until germination.

Be patient: the seeds may take several months to germinate. Transplant the young seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle. Keep them sheltered for their first winter and wait until spring to plant them out in the ground.

Propagation by cuttings

Stauntonia can also be propagated from semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

1. Take a stem section around 15 cm long, cutting just below a leaf.
2. Remove the lower leaves, leaving only a few at the top of the cutting. This reduces evaporation and prevents the cutting from drying out.
3. Optionally dip the base of the stem in plant hormone.
4. Plant it in a pot filled with a mix of compost and sand, pre-moistened. The stem should be buried at least 3–4 cm deep.
5. You can place the cutting in a humid environment by covering the pot with a cut plastic bottle or a clear plastic bag to maintain high humidity. However, open it regularly to ventilate and prevent rotting.
6. Place the pot in bright, indirect light.

Ensure the substrate remains slightly moist until germination occurs.

Association

Stauntonia thrives in shady spots, making it perfect for woodland gardens. Its lush foliage helps create a wild, natural atmosphere! Plant it alongside perennials with decorative, generous leaves like hostas, ferns, hakonechloa, and heucheras (available in a wide range of hues). You can also add brightness with the strikingly variegated foliage of Fatshedera lizei ‘Variegata’, a hybrid between Fatsia and ivy! For flowering companions, consider the delicate blooms of brunnera, epimediums, and Solomon’s seal.

Stauntonia blends effortlessly into a woodland garden with a natural aesthetic. Anemone nemorosa (photo Pandano), Dryopteris wallichiana, Hosta ‘June’, Stauntonia hexaphylla (photo Adobe Stock), Brunnera macrophylla and Tiarella ‘Running Tiger’

As it prefers acidic soil, Stauntonia pairs beautifully with heather soil-loving bushes. Consider companions like azaleas and rhododendrons, Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica), Daphne, Leucothoe, and Skimmia. Most of these plants also offer white or pink blooms, ideal for creating a harmonious, softly coloured border. Discover also Fothergilla gardenii, which produces lovely feathery white spikes in spring.

Don’t hesitate to combine Stauntonia with other climbing plants: Clematis montana, honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, ivy… Also consider Holboellia and Akebia, its close relatives!

Finally, it can also feature in a zen garden or Japanese-inspired setting. Create a minimalist, meditative space by pairing it with the graphic foliage of Japanese maples, hostas, Hakonechloa macra, Nandina domestica… Frame the garden with a bamboo border for an enclosed, intimate feel. Add ferns like Coniogramme emeiensis, Cyrtomium falcatum, or Athyrium niponicum.

Feel free to combine Stauntonia with heather soil-loving bushes. Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’, Japanese Azalea ‘Johanna’, Crinodendron hookerianum, Stauntonia hexaphylla (photo KENPEI), Fothergilla major (photo peganum) and Pieris japonica ‘Katsura’

→ More Stauntonia pairing ideas in our guide!