Habitat

• native to Japan
• zone 5

Habit and Form

• an upright deciduous shrub
• 6' to 12' tall under most conditions
• usually 4' to 6' wide
• foliage is clustered at the tips of branches
• foliage often appears to be layered
• often somewhat open at the plant base

Summer Foliage

• alternate arrangement
• deciduous
• 1' to 3' long and 0.5" to 1" wide
• crowded in clusters at branch tips
• elliptical with bristly teeth on margin
• some scattered bristles on leaf surface
• medium green to bluish green
• red petioles

Autumn Foliage

• yellow, orange, or red
• quality of fall color varies with the individual
• selected clones should be used if good fall color desired

Flowers

• small yellowish flowers with red veins and markings
• bell-shaped, openings in May and early June
• relatively showy with heavy bloom
• flowers held in pendulous clusters

Fruit

• small capsule of no ornamental value
• turns brown in fall

Bark

• bark on new shoots somewhat reddish
• bark on older wood is gray-brown and smooth, for the most part

Culture

• prefers an acid, moist, cool soil
• partial shade to full sun
• avoid hot, dry sites
• transplant from container or B&B
• slow growing

Landscape Use

• specimen
• small groups
• can be trained into a small tree
• mixes well with other ericaceous plants
• most useful for flowers and fall color
• site where the flowers can be viewed at close range

Liabilities

• needs acidic cool, moist soil
• spider mites are problematic in hot locations
• seed-grown plants may not have red fall color

ID Features

• upright deciduous shrub; fairly narrow
• small bell-shaped yellowish flowers with red vein pattern; in pendulous clusters
• alternate leaf arrangement with leaves in clusters at branch tips
• leaves elliptical with bristles along margins
• layered branching pattern

Propagation

• by seed; very easy
• softwood cuttings and tissue culture for selections

Cultivars/Varieties

'Albiflorus' - A form with creamy white flowers that lack significant red markings. The plant is compact growing with reasonably good orange-red fall color

'Red Bells' - Probably the most common cultivar, this plant has flowers with a reddish edge. The fall color is consistently good and the growth habit is upright.

'Showy Lantern' - A new form selected at a Massachusetts nursery, this cultivar sports deep pink flowers and dense branching from the ground up. Summer foliage is dark green and the leaves turn scarlet come fall. A superior clone, but less hardy than the species.

'Sikokianus' (also seen listed as var. sikokianus and 'Siko-kianus') - A special flowering selection with maroon flower buds which open to reveal brick red flowers. Occasionally available from specialty nurseries.

'Variegata' (perhaps the same as 'Tokyo Masquerade') - This form has leaves edged with white that are held on reddish stems. It is rarely seen and probably less hardy than the species.