Styrax OBASSIA

Styrax OBASSIA - Fragrant snowbell, Roundleaf snowbell, Styrax obassia.

Styrax is a genus in the storax family (Styracaceae), comprising about 130 species of trees and shrubs. They grow in warm and temperate forests of East Asia, North and South America, with one species reaching the Mediterranean.

The plants are deciduous or evergreen, with alternate simple leaves and drooping racemes of white bell-shaped flowers that appear in early summer and fill the garden with a delicate sweet fragrance. The fruit is a rounded dry drupe ripening by autumn.

Many species of the genus produce fragrant resin: it is from Styrax benzoin that benzoin resin is obtained, which has been used for centuries in incense and perfumery. Ornamental styraxes are prized for graceful flowering and neat crown shape.

Styrax obassia is a deciduous tree 6-10 m (20-33 ft) in height native to Japan, Korea, and northeastern China, where it grows in mountain forests. In cultivation, it forms a compact crown and often grows as a large multi-stemmed shrub.

Its main feature is the leaves: rounded, up to 20 cm (8 in) across, with velvety white pubescence on the underside. Against their backdrop, the racemes of fragrant white flowers up to 20 cm (8 in) long appear especially expressive. Flowering occurs in June and lasts about two weeks.

Seeds of styrax have a very tough coat and deep dormancy, so they take a long time to germinate. Prior to sowing, they are soaked for 2-3 days in warm water with daily water changes or in a solution of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon. Two-stage stratification is necessary: first 3 months in warmth at 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) in moist sand or vermiculite, then 3 months in the cold at 2-5 °C (36-41 °F).

The simplest method is to sow newly collected seeds before winter directly into the ground to a depth of 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in): both stratification phases then proceed naturally.

Seedlings emerge in spring, often not until the second year, so sowings should not be discarded prematurely and must be kept evenly moist. In their first year, seedlings are shaded, and transplanted to a permanent position in their second or third year.

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A bright location or light partial shade suits the plant, but shelter from desiccating winds is essential. In an open sunny position, flowering is more profuse, but the soil must never dry out completely.

The species is winter-hardy; mature trees withstand temperatures down to -25 °C (-13 °F). For young plantings during the first two to three winters, it is beneficial to mulch the root zone with a thick layer of peat or bark and shelter them from wind.

Watering is regular: styrax is moisture-loving and does not tolerate drying out, especially in hot weather. However, water stagnation is unacceptable - drainage on heavy soils is obligatory.

A loose, moisture-retentive, slightly acidic substrate with the addition of peat is needed. Styrax dislikes calcareous soils: chlorosis develops and leaves drop on them.

Feeding with a balanced complex fertilizer is applied in spring before growth begins. In the second half of summer, nitrogen is excluded so that the shoots have time to mature before winter.

Pruning is practically unnecessary, as the canopy shapes itself. Only dry and damaged branches are removed, preferably right after flowering.