hot plant: stewartia, an ideal small tree
I LIKE PLANTS THAT EARN THEIR KEEP. By that I mean they do more than a week or two of showing off; they look good in more than a single moment, or season. The small-ish to medium trees in the genus Stewartia are a good bet if that’s the kind of multi-season interest you are looking for. Sound good?
The Latin specific epithet, or species name, of the Stewartia I grow is pseudocamellia, which roughly means it disguises itself as a camellia when in bloom (a nod to the look of its lovely and plentiful white June-into-July flowers, and the fact they are very distant relatives in the Tea Family).
But this Stewartia, from Japan, which gets to maybe 25 feet or so in a Northeast garden setting and is happy in part shade or sun, isn’t content to offer up just nice flowers for the privilege of living with you. It gives you peeling, lovely bark all season long (below), and hot fall color, too, as the leaves eventually change. I should warn that it grows slowly, so this is an investment piece, not instant success, and adaptable to Zones 5-8.
I like my stewartias to be multi-stem and breaking low from the base, instead of single-trunk, but such aesthetic considerations are up to you. A bigger cousin is S. monadelpha, also from Japan; S. koreana (from where it sounds like it’s from) is another showy choice, with orange bark.
What I insist is that you at least agree to look at Stewartia next time you’re in a good woody plant nursery and think of this: What other garden-scale tree gives summer flowers (preceded by showy marble-size buds, bottom photo, by the way, in my pseudocamellia); hot fall foliage, plus winter interest in the form of textural bark and lovely structure?
Guess after reading this you already know the answer to today’s quiz, huh?
We put our pseudocamellia (sounds like the name of a Renaissance pope) in last summer and it never seemed to stop blooming. I worried because it was hot already in the Northeast, but I watered religiously. The leaves on the sunniest side burned a bit on the edges, but the tree always looked healthy, so I wasn’t worried. Now I’m happy to report the tree is covered with buds. All raves about stewartia are well-deserved.
It is a lovely thing, William. I agree. Thanks for saying hello and sharing news of your recent adoptee.
Hi Margaret, I planted a Korean stewartia 5-6 ft. 2 years ago. I remember it needed acidic soil and I put in lots of peat moss because the soil was 7.5 ph. I had only a few blooms the first and second tree. I mulched a circle 3 feet around with coast of Maine compost. Do you think I should sprinkle some sulphur on top of the compost to try to decrease the ph more? The tree looks healthy but I’m hoping for more flowers and fall foliage.
Cant wait to join the Stewartia (pseudocamellia) owner’s club this coming week! Ive been reading about the Japanese Stewartia’s on your blog and absolutely love the bark on these! Ive seen a few of the flowers in bloom too on your tree (one of your open days tours). Im proud to say i have finally found a decent size starter tree and it will be delivered this coming week! A 5-6′ specimen at that. So looking forward to my new addition and the years of slow growth to come … haha
Hello Margaret,
Could you please tell me if S. psuedocamellia is tolerant to Juglone? I purchased a very young Stewartia on impulse and am now trying to place it within my yard. One option is closer to the house but within the footprint of a mature Black Walnut tree. I have not found much information on Stewartia and Juglone online. I appreciate any help you can offer.
Cheers,
Lee
I don’t know, Lee, and I would err on the side of thinking not. The black walnuts seem to thwart so many species, why risk it?
Hello,
A small reaction from my side regarding my Korean Stewartia, planted during Autumn 2014.
It was a tree from 5 feet when purchased. We are living in the Southern part of France, close to the Italian border, in the Alps. ( altitude 1030 m )
I had 2 flowers this year in July, but on top of that we had several heat waves this summer. 2015 was extremely hot and dry. My tree has filtered sun between 9 & 12 in the morning, full sun until 17 in the afternoon. Almost no leaf scorch on my tree, and this with temperatures between 90F & 102F during 4 weeks. I watered the three regularly because it was so dry this summer. In winter we have often nights from 5F and a lot of snow. Nights during summer are +/_ 60F. I a m so happy with my tree, he is stunning in our front yard. Curious about the fall foliage this year.
I wanted to share this with all of you, I think the Korean Stewartia supports very good full sun in the afternoon, but he likes cooler nights, and regular water.
Thanks, Louage, for all the details on how well your tree is growing.
I am the proud owner of both Stewartia pseudocamellia and a Franklinia alatamaha. Both were purchased and planted in 2014. The former in my back yard and the latter in my front yard.
Both have done well, but both are slow growers. Wish I had learned of both years ago, but….:-) The next owner will have two wonderful specimen trees.
Enjoyed this thread. I live in NW Missouri Zone 5b.
cheers
Yes, slow indeed, David. Nice to hear from you.
I live near Charlotte, North Carolina, which is Zone 4 for plants and trees. Can stewartia grow here?
Hi, Wayne. Charlotte is USDA Zone 7B, I believe, not 4 (which is up toward Canada). I suspect in your area it would want shade, especially from afternoon sun — not total darkness, but how baking and dry there.
Margaret:
My Japanese Stewartia is planted on the Eas tside of my house and receives sun until late afternoon. It was professionally planted in the Fall 2-1/2 years ago at about 10ft. It has survived a treacherous and unusual snowy winter here in the Boston area. The tree is growing beautifully and is serving its’ purpose-EXCEPT–blossoms are few and far between and drop off daily. Buds are present–but don’t produce the expected show. In addition to hand watering twice a week, it receives water from a sprinkler system.
Could you advise and also comment on fertilizing, etc?
Thank you,
Rose
I have had mine for many years (maybe 15?) and I can say it took a long time to settle in. It never covers itself in flowers, but is more subtle.
I am interested in your mention of handwatering twice weekly plus the irrigation system. Could you be overwatering? I know that in other plants underwatering OR overwatering can cause flower buds to “blast” or drop off. Is there a reason for so many weekly applications of water, versus one good, deep watering a week in the weeks that we don’t get, say, an inch of rain or so?
Hi Rick, We have a small Stewartia that was planted last year in the summer. It is about 8 foot tall and has nice leaves except the top of the tree. There is about 1-1/2 feet at the top that just has small and few leaves. The complete tree has some small branches throughout that have no or very little growth on them, but most limbs are leafed out nicely. We had a very cold winter, but live where there are some trees to provide protections. We are getting the little balls that will be blooming in a few weeks. Can you give any advice on something we may need to do. We don’t want to loose this tree. It is the second one we planted in this spot. The first one was balled to deep from the nursery when dug and it killed it. Should I spray it with anything?
Hi, Patricia. Don’t know who Rick is…I’m Margaret! Don’t spray your Stewartia (don’t know what you’d spray it with anyhow for the possible dieback you describe). You will need to get in a clean up the dead growth with a long-reach telescoping pruner for aesthetic reasons, but basically the tree’s branches are either alive or not, and nothing to be done except watch, keep it well watered, and clean it up with pruning once it’s clear what’s dead.
Have a spot currently filled by a Dogwood that is not doing well; space is about 8′ x ~ and is next to a well-established [35 year old] Magnolia tree. Do you think a Stewartia tree would do OK there?
If “yes,” how much space should I leave between the ground-out stump of the original 35 year old Dogwood [about a 4″ trunk and about 15′ high] and the new Stewartia?
An evergreen Magnolia has also been recommended.
Rick
Hi, Rick. I love my Stewartia, but it is a very slow grower. After probably 15 years, it’s maybe 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide. It’s said to get much wider and taller (like I expected 25 high and 15 or more across someday) but not so far!
My japanese stuartia is in the northeast corner and gets morning sun. It bloomed the first season and now is in it’s 4th season and has not bloomed for the last 3 years. It has doubled in height and looks healthy. I live on Cape. Cod, Ma . Any ideas about getting those beautiful white flowers to bloom?
My Japanese Stewartia is in its 5th season and has bloomed only once in the first season.
It’s in a NE corner and has doubled in size to 15′ and is healthy. I live on cape cod, MA.
I have had my stewartia for about 5 years. It is alive but has several dead branches (including the leader) which I am about to prune off. On most of the live branches there is lichen. Why? And should I rub it off? I think that I need to water my tree more and have mulched it this year for the first time. It gets sun from late morning to sunset. I do hope I don’t lose it!
Hi, Dianne. Lichens don’t cause plant decline, and I would not rub it off. They are not parasites. Some sources say that lichens are more likely to form on declining (or even dead) wood — meaning sometimes their presence is a signal something’s up.
Hi Margaret, I have a pretty sunny spot, sun till 4 pm in June in Chicago, but it seems to hold water longer than other areas of my garden after a big rain. Do I need to make sure the soil drains quicker before planting a stewartia, or will the stewartia love the retained moisture? Help! And what species of stewartia is best for this area, but still gives me great all season interest? Many thanks, looking for ward to your response, ready to plant ASAP! Regards, Pooja
Hi, Pooja. Standing water is a bad indicator for most plants, other than those that come from such an environment (e.g., winterberry hollies, buttonbush, some willows, etc.). Don’t plant a slow-to-acclimate sometimes-finicky-at-first tree there!
Margaret
I have a Stewartia that friends & family planted in my front yard 19 years ago for me as a memorial to my daughter who passed away. Her name is Tia. I love my tree especially when it blooms. My only problem is that when a bloom opens it only lasts that day and than falls off that night. Is that they way it is supposed to be or is there something I can do to make the blooms last longer.
Hi, Donna. They don’t last long — a day or two I think — but they open over a longish period so some are in bloom for a couple of weeks as I recall. But you are right — each bloom is not long-lasting. I assume you keep the tree well-watered, especially in hot dry summers.
Hi Margaret: I have a stewartia pseudocamellia. 8 ft. when planted 2 years ago. Has never bloomed. Buds turn brown and fall off. Why?
Hi, Bill. Flower buds “blast” (that is, fail to fully develop and open) on many plants (camellias, peonies, orchids…) mostly from an environmental stressor — too dry, too hot, too cold, too much temperature fluctuation … Environmental stresses are hard for us to control, except we CAN keep the plants well-watered on an even and regular basis to help it withstand whatever else comes along. Regular deep watering is key, especially the first several years in the ground with these trees, which really are slow to acclimate and settle in.
Hello,
Does anyone know if Stewartia koreana or pseudocamellia is more hardy than the other?
Thanks!
Hi, Wil. Michael Dirr lists pseudocamellia as 5 (maybe 4) to 7 and koreana as 5 to 7. Meaning maybe pseudocamellia is a tiny bit more cold-hardy. But wow, seems very close.
Hi Margaret,
I just purchased a 6 foot Stewartia Pseudocamellia that I had intended to use as a shade tree. I had intended to place it in a sunny SW corner in my yard to provide some much needed shade. I’ve come to learn that these are pretty slow growing, so am wondering whether I made a wrong choice….. Do you know what the growth rate is for these trees and if there is any way to encourage faster growth? I’m in Seattle. I’d appreciate your advice! Thanks!
Hi, Nancy. I have read that it grows 6-10 inches a year, and I’d say I have had about that, too. Slow. And no, don’t try feeding it a lot or anything; it needs to do its thing in its own time. :)
Margaret-
I am considering a stewartia to plant at the corner of my house. Its a tiny house (700 sq ft) and the roofline at that NW corner starts at about 10 ft high. We live in the northwest outside of seattle so summers are short but dry and other than about of week of 90 degree weather, temps stay in the mid 70s. This corner gets some early morning sun and late afternoon everning sun. in July and August, that means about 6 hours of sun at the end of the day. The rest of the year we have hardly any sun at all because of the grey raining 8 month winter. will a stewartia thrive there? Also, our natural soil is heavy river bottom clay and I will have to prepare a large non-native gravel lined soil hole for the tree. Advice on how big a hole for this tree to assure I don’t get the soup bowl effect and drown the tree in wet feet in winter? And advice on what soil mix to use? . The yard is about as small as the house so every plant/tree needs gets great treatment to succeed but then must perform or out it goes. This location is qujte visible from the front walk and the back yard we want a tree that will be happy and atractive. we like the stewartia or perhaps one of the kousa dogwoods which seem do fine here. it neither will work we can always find a jap maple which are as ubiquitous as grass around here Thanks
Hi, Tamara. I think I’d listen to the info at the Elisabeth Carey Miller garden’s Great Plant Picks site. They are in Seattle. I have seen various species of Stewartia as mature trees in the Washington Park Arboretum, where they grow in the recommended light to open shade. They will need irrigation when weather is dry. The species Great Plant Picks recommends are pseudocamellia and monadelpha.
I used to live on the grounds of Hersheys Azalea Farm (PA) where there are various tree specimens, including Stewartia and Franklinia.
This makes a great story! I love small trees.
Me, too, Michael. Nice to see you.
Dear Margaret,
I planted a Stewartia last Spring (2011) and at the time of planting, it was quite tall with very little growth at the top, but I thought it would fill in more this Spring. In reading about them, I’m not sure if this tree would be considered single stem or multiy stem, because at the bottom of the tree it is muti-stem but this one limb (I guess you would call it the leader) goes above and beyond the others by about 3′. My question is, would it hurt the appearance if I cut that 3′ section down to where the other branches and limbs are? As far as I’m concerned, it looks out of place, but I don’t want to make it look worse as it continues to grow. That section did not have much new growth on it this Spring (in fact, it looks the same as it did all of last year). The leaf color is a nice deep green and it had an adequate amount of flowers this year, and had some new growth, but I’m just not liking how it looks at the top of the tree. What do you suggest? My local nurseryman told me that they are very difficult to transplant and very hard to acquire, so I took it because of all the positive things I’ve read about them. But, it’s not like I had a choice in trees, because this is the only one they had.
Hi, Bobbi. A Stewartia won’t respond well to topping (most trees won’t) and it will take time to become a grown-up and achieve its eventual shape I think (you don’t say how tall it is now?). Its natural shape is for the central leader to be somewhat taller than the secondary ones, so that the center of the tree even after many years will remain narrower and taller — it is somewhat pyramidal though oval (the overall shape) as it grows up. Of course if next spring that leader looks lifeless…you will have no choice but to cut. Hope not!
Dear Margaret,
In Sept. of 2008 we planted a Japanese Stewartia on the East side of our Detroit home. We bought it from a Nursery in Ohio because we couldn’t find it local. During transporting the leader was cracked. It is a single leader tree. We taped it and the following Spring another leader emerged. The original leader is still growing but at 25% of the rate of the new leader, which has now divided into two branches. This is now around 12 -14 foot tall. Question: How do I prune this tree? It has many branches at the bottom that are grazing the ground. Shall I cut them off? Do I prune the new leader off at the base where it came from the other 1st leader? I picked it out of a group knowing nothing of seeking “multi-stem” speciman. She is blooming now and well adjusted. Just looks top heavy with that leader and bushy up to 3 foot off the ground. Thanks, Laney
Hi, Laney. Hard for me to tell without seeing it — at least in a photo, maybe. You can email me at awaytogarden at gmail of you want. Even then, always hard other than in person, but let’s have a look.
* THE space…
Will the tree adjust to the space? It doesn’t matter too much if the garage windows are covered.
Can you suggest something else that might work better? We’re zone 5; them space gets at least six hours of sun a day.
Thank you.
We want to plant a small tree to fill a 20′ tall space between two windows a little over 6′ apart. It will be plante about 6′ in front of the house. A local nursery ( southern Maine) has a beautiful, 5′ stewartia. Will this tree work, or will it grow too large? Thanks for any advice you might give.
Hi, Elizabeth. The mature tree can be 20-plus feet high AND wide, so seems far too big for that tight a spot. Sounds like you need something columnar/fastigiate in habit, that won’t cover the windows, no?