James Burghardt
Family
Cornaceae
Botanical Name
ALANGIUM chinense
Plant Common Name
Begonialeaf Alangium, Chinese Alangium
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
Lovely green leaves with short pointed lobes adorn the zig-zagged branches of Chinese alangium. Blooming in early summer and again in mid-autumn, the small oval fruits turn dark blue in autumn, too. A large shrub to small tree that is evergreen in frost-free climates but deciduous elsewhere, it is native to a large expanse of southern Asia's Himalayas eastward into the highlands of southeast Asia. Natural variant forms can also be found in eastern Africa.
The leaves are rounded when young, having five veins and short, tipped lobes. Older foliage, particularly noted in regions where the plant is evergreen, are more oval or have fewer lobes. In late spring and early summer, clusters of small, sweetly fragrant flowers appear in clusters of no less than seven blossoms at the base of leaves. The blossom is pale yellow with golden hairs. It can rebloom again in mid-autumn. The small oval fruits that form and ripen in late autumn are cobalt blue to indigo in color.
Grow Chinese alangium in full to partial sun in a well-draining, fertile soil. Not tolerant of frosts, the plant will be killed to the ground in cold but mild-winter areas and will rejuvenate each spring as a shrub with the more attractively lobed foliage form. In tropical areas it can become an upright but oval canopied shade tree. It is lovely in a mixed shrub border where the fragrant flowers and pretty colored fruits and foliage can be admired. Consider pruning back this plant to its base each year in tropical areas to enjoy the foliage on a shrub-like accent.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
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USDA Hardiness Zone
7 - 13
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
10'-40' / 3.0m - 12.2m
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Width
12'-20' / 3.7m - 6.1m
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Fall
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Native To
Southern Asia, India, Nepal, China
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
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Fruit Color
Indigo, Dark Blue
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Bark Texture
Smooth
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Usage
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
Yes
