Habitat

• native to China, Korea and Japan
• hardy to zone 4
• Special Note: This species has demonstrated an invasive tendency in Connecticut, meaning it may escape from cultivation and naturalize in minimally managed areas. For more information, Click Here.

Habit and Form

• a deciduous large shrub
• 15' tall by 15' wide
• weedy appearance
• medium texture
• fast growth rate

Summer Foliage

• alternate, deciduous leaves
• simple leaves
• 2" to 4" long by approx. 1" wide
• elliptic leaf shape with a rounded leaf base
• leaves covered with silvery scales and brown lenticels
• bright green leaf color with silvery underside mixed with brown lenticels

Autumn Foliage

• no fall color

Flowers

• silvery white flowers
• fragrant
• 0.5" in diameter
• flowers are funnel shaped
• blooms in May

Fruit

• red globose fruits
• brown scales cover fruit
• ripen in September
• 0.33" long
• birds eat fruit

Bark

• silver-brown stems covered with numerous brown lenticels
• spines maybe present
• bark is a light gray

Culture

• full sun to light shade
• tolerant of drought, heat, wind
• prefers acidic, sandy soils

Landscape Use

• naturalistic areas
• wood edges
• for flowering and fruiting effect
• fragrance

Liabilities

• not recommended for residential use
• invasive
• weedy appearance

ID Features

• large spreading shrub, weedy appearance
• suckers / invasive
• alternate leaf arrangement
• brown lenticels cover every part of plant
• silvery look to foliage, fruit and flowers

Propagation

• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

'Tizam' (Titan®) - This is a selected form exhibiting a dense, pronounced upright growth habit. It may reach 12' tall and 6' wide. Other attributes are similar to the species.