Clethra barbinervis Great Star Minbarb

The Clethra barbinervis Great Star is a variety of Clethra that will seduce with its spreading habit, the beauty of its bark, its autumn colours, and its very long white and wispy summer flowering, both honey-scented and fragrant. This large bush enlivens large heathland areas from spring to autumn, as well as slightly shaded areas of the garden. Clethra are shrubs that prefer humus-rich, non-chalky, moist to wet soils. They appreciate the same environments as rhododendrons and autumn camellias, and form very beautiful combinations together.

Clethra barbinervis is a deciduous shrub native to Korea, introduced to Japan and China, where it grows in open woodlands, in thick and moist humus, on non-chalky soil. It is a very cold-resistant species (-18°C (-0.4 °F)) that can reach 3 to 4 m (9 ft 10 in to 13 ft 1 in) in all directions, depending on the growing conditions. The species name barbinervis means "with bearded veins" and refers to its veins covered with small hairs.

The cultivar 'Great Star' was selected by Minier nurseries at the Vastérival Garden (1976) for its magnificent colours. The bush has a bushy and dense habit, almost as wide as it is tall. Its smooth, orange-coloured bark peels off with age, revealing yellow ochre-colored patches. From spring onwards, the branches bear lanceolate leaves, strongly veined, toothed at the edges, slightly rough, measuring about 12-15 cm (4.7-5.9 in) in length. The leaves are bright green in spring and summer, gradually turning yellow and then red in autumn before falling. Flowering takes place in mid-summer, from July to September, and remains decorative for several weeks. At the axils of the leaves, located towards the ends of the branches, slightly trailing flower heads form, measuring 5 to 15 cm (2 to 5.9 in) in length, composed of a myriad of tiny bell-shaped white flowers with prominent stamens, which open from the base of the spike towards the top. Their sweet fragrance has a pleasant note of green apple, and it diffuses several metres around. After pollination, decorative fruits form that remain on the branches for a long time in winter.

The Clethra barbinervis Great Star, with its Japanese-like appearance, is ideal in the back of a border, or in a free hedge, where it will blend perfectly with Photinias, Forthysias, Pieris, etc. It thrives in light, non-chalky soils, never drying out, in a semi-shaded, bright but not scorching position. It finds its place in heathland areas or in front of large deciduous trees, if the soil remains moist in summer. Combine it with large rhododendrons with mauve, white, or pink flowers, camellias, Kalmia latifolia, and winter-flowering heathers that will take over after its flowering. As it tolerates container cultivation, use it also to decorate a terrace or patio.