About this Class

Noted for its attractive exfoliating bark, fall color, and delicate blooms, award-winning Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese Stewartia) is a small deciduous tree with multi-season interest. Delicate, cup-shaped, white flowers, 2.5 in. wide (6 cm), adorned with showy orange-yellow anthers, appear in early summer in the leaf axils. Resembling camellias, they open in succession for a long-lasting display. The summer foliage of ovate, dark green leaves turns brilliant shades of red, orange, and burgundy in the fall. The shedding of leaves exposes the flaky, multicolored bark that peels in gray, orange, and reddish-brown strips, adding winter interest. Slow-growing, Japanese Stewartia features an elegant pyramidal habit and is one of the glories of the garden.