Oriental paperbush is a winter-blooming shrub whose bark has long been used for fine Japanese paper, including banknotes. In late winter, before the leaves appear, its bare branches carry drooping, ball-shaped clusters of fragrant golden-yellow flowers. Native to China, it is grown in the U.S. as a garden shrub where winters are mild (USDA zones 7–10).
Appearance
- Growth form
- A shrub usually 4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m) tall and about as wide. Its stems split into three again and again, so you can recognize it even in winter.
- Leaves
- Narrow, lance-shaped leaves 3–5 in (8–13 cm) long, bluish green and silky-hairy when young, turning yellow in fall.
- Flowers
- Forty to fifty small tubular flowers pack into a rounded head 1–2 in (2.5–5 cm) across. There are no true petals; the four yellow lobes are covered outside with silky white hairs, and the flowers are sweetly scented.
- Flowering time
- Silvery, fuzzy flower buds form in late summer and fall and hang on the bare stems all winter. They usually open from February to April; in mild parts of the Southeast, blooming can start as early as December.
- Fruit
- Small dry fruits that are easy to overlook.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Gardens
- Shade gardens
- Range
- Native to south-central and southeastern China and Myanmar. In the U.S. it is a cultivated ornamental, not a wild plant.
- Preferred conditions
- Hardy in USDA zones 7–10. Grows best in partial shade in rich, moist, well-drained soil.
- Flowering
Flowers Feb–Apr
Flowers Feb–Apr
Growing it
- Care
- Flowers form on old wood, so keep that in mind when pruning. It has no significant pest or disease problems.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Older garden books may call it Edgeworthia papyrifera, a name now treated as the same species.
- Varieties and forms
- Garden selections with orange-red flowers (such as 'Red Dragon') or all-white flowers are sold in the U.S.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- In Japan, where the shrub is called mitsumata, its bark fiber is one of the three classic raw materials of washi paper and has been used for yen banknotes since 1879.
More species to explore
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