Styrax japonicus Fargesii

Styrax japonicus 'Fargesii' distinguishes itself from the wild Japanese Styrax by its reduced growth, upright habit, larger leaves, and slightly later flowering. It is a deciduous bush full of charm, due to both its abundant fragrant summer flowering and its beautiful autumn colours. Its modest size and rather narrow habit make it a lovely subject for ornamenting small spaces and terraces. To admire it at leisure give it a prime location, preferably in the sun, in a cool and humus-rich soil.

Native to Japan, Korea, and China, Japanese Styrax is a deciduous bush of the Styracaceae family, composed of trees and aromatic resinous shrubs. It has given rise to cultivars and varieties with reduced growth, like 'Fargesii'.

Styrax japonicus var. Fargesii is a bush of modest size and rather slow growth. At maturity it will reach approximately 2.75 m (9ft) in height and 1.50 m (5ft) in width, sometimes 3.50 m (11ft) in height and 2 m (7ft) in spread under optimal conditions. Its habit is upright, rather narrow, supported by flexible branches of brown colour. The deciduous foliage, glossy, is composed of large ovate leaves with dentate margins. Their colour is a fairly dark, shiny green. Before falling they take on different shades of yellow to orange. In early summer, and occasionally until August, the branches are covered with numerous pure white buds resembling drops of snow, which open into small, highly fragrant flowers. These are white and bell-shaped, 1.5 cm (1in) in diameter, with 5 ovate lobes, adorned with a bouquet of golden stamens in the centre. They hang from a purple petiole, solitary or in clusters, below the branches. The bush offers a magnificent spectacle. The flowers, much visited by pollinating insects, give way to dry, olive-green ovoid fruits. This Styrax has excellent hardiness, around -20°C (1°F).

Japanese Styrax dreads scorching sunlight. It likes humus-rich, acidic, cool, and light soils, conditions that hydrangeas also enjoy. Place on its own, near a path or not far from the house, to fully enjoy its beauty and fragrance. It is also suitable for terraces or balconies, in a carefully chosen large pot. It can be combined with shrubs with dark or purple foliage - there are superb ones among the Physocarpus (All Black, Dart's Gold). The delicacy of the 'Fargesii' Styrax also goes wonderfully well with hydrangeas, wild camellias, and the simplicity of a fragrant raspberry Rubus odoratus, covered with pink summer flowers. Decorate its base with e.g. small variegated creeping euonymus shrubs (Emerald Gaiety) and Naples or coum cyclamens.