Enkianthus campanulatus Prettycoat

Enkianthus campanulatus 'Prettycoat' is a variety with bright white flowers in spring. It forms a beautiful small bush with an erect habit, reaching a height of 1.2m (3 ft 11 in) and a width of 80cm (31.5 in), perfect for a small garden or planted in a pot! From April to June, it bears pendulous terminal clusters of small pure white, slightly fragrant campanulate bells, sheltered under small, oblong, shiny dark green leaves. Its upright branches with bright red bark create an interesting contrast with its dark foliage and white flowers. Before falling in autumn the leaves turn into beautiful shades of red-orange. The campanulate enkianthus thrives in partial shade or shade, in the company of rhododendrons and azaleas, in acidic, moist and humus-rich soil.

Native to Japan and southern China, Enkianthus campanulatus belongs to the family of ericaceae, just like heathers and Pieris to which it bears some resemblance. It is a deciduous bush that thrives in cool and humus-rich undergrowth, perfectly hardy but intolerant to limestone and dry soils.

The 'Prettycoat' cultivar is distinguished from the species mainly by its bright white flowers and reduced size. This slow-growing bush will reach on average 1.2m (3 ft 11 in) in height and 80cm (31.5 in) in width after many years. Its habit is unique, open and erect, almost columnar, dense and composed of regularly layered branches. The original flowering is one of the major assets of this plant. It appears for at least three weeks from April to June depending on the climate. The flowers are borne on short twigs located at the ends of branches, just below the foliage. The flowers are about 1.2cm (0.5 in) in diameter, slightly fragrant, pendulous and campanulate in shape and hang in dense clusters of 12 to 15 from slightly raspberry-tinted downy peduncles. They are pure white, very bright and nectar-rich. The deciduous foliage consists of small leaves, finely dentate along the edges, measuring 3 to 5cm (1.2 to 2 in) in length and 2cm (0.8 in) in width. They appear to be arranged in tiers at the ends of twigs, and are a shiny dark green from spring to summer. The undersides of the leaves are tinged with red along the veins. The autumn colours are a very bright red-orange.

This is a choice shrub for spaces with little light. The layered and erect habit of Enkianthus campanulatus 'Prettycoat' is exceptionally refined when planted in a pot on a terrace or as a specimen in a small garden. If you have more space, plant it in an ericaceous group under a grove of Japanese maples, accompanied by evergreen azaleas and camellias.