Distylium Emerald Heights

Distylium x 'Emerald Heights' is a compact, evergreen shrub, resulting from recent horticultural breeding. Easy to grow, it demonstrates great resistance to pests and diseases, and tolerates drought and heat once established. It even tolerates more moist soils, as long as they are not waterlogged. Its dark green, glossy foliage is its main attraction throughout the year. This variety stands out from others with its more rounded, bushy habit. It is a good alternative to boxwoods, hedges, holly, and laurels in large hedges and borders, or as a standalone plant to frame the house or other structures.

Distylium x 'Emerald Heights' is a horticultural hybrid obtained by cross-breeding Distylium myricoides and Distylium racemosus, two species native to East and Southeast Asia belonging to the Hamamelidaceae family. It blooms from late January to March in axillary clusters of petal-less flowers with reddish-brown stamens, distributed along the stems, reminiscent of the elegantly tapered flowers of witch hazels, to which it is closely related, and loropetalums. This hybrid forms a bush that can exceed 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) in all directions with fairly rapid growth. Its arched, spreading, and layered branches give it a unique, cascading habit. Its evergreen foliage is composed of small, leathery, entire, alternate, obovate to lanceolate leaves that are light green in spring, clearly contrasting with the darker, glossy leaves of older growth. Its fruits are brown capsules of the same colour as the stems. The leaves and habit of this shrub resemble those of cherry laurel, particularly the 'Schipkaensis' and 'Otto Luyken' varieties.

Hardy down to -17 °C (1.4 °F), this shrub is planted in regions with mild winters. It prefers full sun in northerly climates, partial shade in hot climates, and dislikes excessively chalky soils. Although it can withstand severe pruning, it is not necessary, as this plant always maintains a very balanced habit and dense foliage. In overly shady conditions, it will be less bushy and dense.

Distylium 'Emerald Heights' is used for borders and hedges to provide structure or create divisions in the garden. It accompanies or punctuates house entrances or pergolas. It can be used in the back of flower beds in combination with Nandina, Hydrangea, Weigelia, Physocarpus, and roses. Choisya, Portuguese laurel, and Myrtus Tarentina can accompany it, for example, in an evergreen hedge. It can also be planted in groups to stabilise water edges or dry slopes with Hypericum.

Distylium does not become bare at the base and demonstrates better resistance and tolerance to planting conditions than traditional evergreens. For example, boxwoods have had some setbacks in the past decade, as a disease, which is spread from one plant to another, causes them to wither and quickly dry out. Distylium is an excellent alternative that is not susceptible to this extremely destructive fungus.