Habitat
- hardy through zone 5
- native to North Carolina through Florida
Habit
and Form
- a deciduous tree or large shrub
- 10' to 15' tall
- equal spread
- dense, spreading branches
- medium texture
- slow growth rate
Summer
Foliage
- alternate leaf arrangement
- simple, deciduous leaves
- ovate leaf shape
- 2" to 5" long
- 1" to 2.5" wide
- serrulate leaf margins
- somewhat pubescent
- dark green leaf color
- thick texture
Autumn
Foliage
Flowers
- white flowers
- concave petals with crenulated surface
- 2.5" to 3" across
- blooms in July
Fruit
- woody capsule
- sharply pointed
- 1" long
- seeds are winged
Bark
- gray-brown bark
- ridged and furrowed
- stems are red on top and green on underside
- zigzag stem pattern
Culture
- difficult to transplant
- prefers moist, acidic, organic soil
- partial sun
Landscape
Use
- specimen
- woods edge
- border
- shaded site
Liabilities
- hard to transplant
- somewhat slow growing
- relatively uncommon and expensive to purchase
- not tolerant of difficult sites
ID
Features
- superposed, sessile buds, 2 to 3 exposed scales
- brown buds are covered with silky hairs
- stems are red on top and green on bottom
- stems with a zigzag pattern
Propagation
Cultivars/Varieties
var. grandiflora (also listed as 'Grandiflora') - This
is probably the most commonly available form of this native species in commerce.
It is notable for its larger flowers and purple stamens.
'Red Rose' - This is a Polly Hill selection out of Martha's Vineyard,
MA with red stamens and yellow anthers in the flowers.
'Royal Purple' - Another Polly Hill variation, this plant shows flowers
with purple stamens and yellow anthers.
'Scarlet Sentinel' - A hybrid with S. pseudocamellia, this selection
from Boston's Arnold Arboretum has an upright, dense habit and white blooms
crowned with red-pink stamens. It is sometimes offered by specialty nurseries.
'White Satin' -This Polly Hill clone offers a floral variation with
white stamens and yellow anthers.