Korean stewartia

Fall foliage of Korean stewartia.

• Common name: Korean stewartia
• Botanical name: Stewartia koreana
• What it is: A small, ornamental tree with some of the most spectacular fall foliage of any tree or shrub. Colors seem to change daily in a blend of gold, orange and scarlet. Produces white flowers with yellow centers in summer and develops attractive peeling bark as the tree ages.
• Size: About 20 feet tall and 18 feet wide in 15 to 20 years. Grows fairly slowly.
• Where to use: Excellent specimen tree in the front yard or next to a deck or patio. Prefers loose, rich and slightly acidic soil. Some afternoon shade is ideal, but full sun also is fine if the soil is good and the tree gets adequate moisture until the roots establish.
• Care: Prune out crossing or misdirected branches in the early years and remove lower limbs, as desired, as the tree grows. Spring fertilizing with Holly-tone or a similar mildly acidic fertilizer is optional. Water occasionally but deeply if drought strikes in the early years. Seldom bothered by pests or disease.
• Great partner: Underplant with liriope, purple-blooming hardy geraniums (‘Rozanne’ is a good one) or if you want an evergreen, low-growing Russian cypress (Microbiota decussata).

Stewartia flower.