Distylium racemosum

Distylium racemosum is a beautiful, rare, elegant, original and very ornamental bush, forming a dense, spreading and wide habit. Its arching stems bear dense, evergreen, dark green leaves, and are covered in spring with petal-less, dark red flowers. It will bring an oriental and Japanese touch to the garden!

Belonging to the Hamamelidaceae family, it originates from the woods of Eastern and Southeast Asia. It forms a beautiful dense bush, with a wide and spreading habit, measuring 2 to 3 m (6 ft 7 in to 9 ft 10 in) in all directions, with a slow growth rate. It displays arching branches, adorned with shiny, persistent foliage, consisting of 3 to 7 cm (1.2 to 2.8 in) long, leathery, dark green leaves. In spring, it is adorned with small, slightly fragrant flowers, measuring 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in), grouped in erect clusters, devoid of petals but presenting purple stamens and well-defined dark red calyxes. Following this, capsule-shaped fruits appear.

In its natural habitat, Distylium racemosum can reach a height of 25 m (82 ft). Its hard, fine-grained wood is used in Asia as a precious wood, for the production of musical instruments, handicrafts and furniture.

The moderately hardy Distylium racemosum should be planted in a sheltered location in the garden, in partial shade and in fertile and moist, well-drained soil. It can be planted in a shrub bed or as a standalone specimen, at the edge of a bed, or inserted into a hedge. With its spreading habit, dense vegetation, dark green persistent foliage and unique purple flowering, it will undoubtedly bring a beautiful oriental touch to the garden. For a Japanese garden atmosphere, it can be associated with Chinese Azalea, Japanese Andromeda, Mountain Laurel, Japanese Quince or even Korean Forsythia.