Trochodendron aralioides

Trochodendron aralioides is an astonishing bush. It will add an elegant touch to your ericaceous beds. It is as exotic as it is rare, offering tropical originality. It will enhance your hydrangeas, for example.

Sometimes called wheel trees, Trochodendron aralioides is an evergreen bush native to Japan. Its strange flowers bear a multitude of stamens forming the spokes of a wheel. They are grouped in 5 to 6cm (2in) pendulous clusters and are followed by equally strange and decorative fruits. Despite the discreet green colour of the flowers and fruits, their originality stands out among its shiny green foliage. In spring, conical buds with red and brown scales appear.

In its natural habitat, Trochodendron aralioides reaches a height of 20m (66ft), but in our regions, it grows slowly and rarely exceeds 6m (20ft). Patience is required, but in return, it is suitable for all garden and bed sizes. Its hardiness is debated; it apparently tolerates -18°C (-0.4°F). However, we recommend planting in regions where winters are less severe. Nothing prevents exotic enthusiasts in cooler regions from keeping it in a pot on a terrace and finding a small corner for it in an unheated area during winter.