Russell Stafford
Family
Theaceae
Botanical Name
Stewartia monadelpha
Plant Common Name
Tall Stewartia
General Description
Showy fall foliage, colorful bark, and ivory-white summer flowers are among the ornamental merits of this small to medium-sized deciduous tree from woodlands of Japan and Korea.
This hardy tree has medium- to dark-green, toothed, oval to lance-shaped leaves that turn purple and burgundy in fall. Small, creamy-white, cup-shaped flowers with numerous orange-yellow stamens open from plump buds in late spring and early summer. Ovoid, five-chambered seed capsules follow the flowers. Tall stewartia gradually develops into a multi-trunked, narrow-crowned tree with striking cinnamon-tan bark.
This relatively heat- and sun-tolerant stewartia thrives in light shade and moist, acidic, humus-rich soil. Notoriously intolerant of transplanting, stewartias are best planted as young, container-grown specimens. Although less well known than Japanese stewartia (S. pseudocamellia), tall stewartia is its equal as an all-season specimen tree.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
6 - 9
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Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
20'-70' / 6.1m - 21.3m
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Width
12'-25' / 3.7m - 7.6m
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
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Native To
Japan, Korea
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Ivory
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Fruit Color
Tan, Brown
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Purple, Burgundy, Dark Red, Orange Red
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Bark Color
Orange, Tan, Sienna, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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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
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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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
No
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Showy Bark
Yes
