Japanese storax, better known in U.S. gardens as Japanese snowbell, is an Asian tree that reaches 20–30 ft (6–9 m) tall and wide. White, bell-shaped flowers hang beneath its leaves in late spring.

Appearance

Growth form
This tree is vase-shaped when young and develops a broad, rounded crown with age.
Leaves
The simple, alternate leaves are glossy green, usually 1–3 in (2.5–7.6 cm) long, and turn yellow or reddish in fall.
Flowers
In late spring, white bell-shaped flowers under 1 in (2.5 cm) wide hang on slender stalks beneath the branches.
Fruit
Small gray-brown, egg-shaped ripen from late summer into fall, and each holds one seed.

Look-alikes

fragrant snowbellStyrax obassia

Fragrant snowbell has much larger leaves and long 6–8 in (15–20 cm) flower clusters. Japanese storax has smaller leaves and shorter clusters with only a few hanging bells.

Why they get mixed upBoth Asian garden trees have white hanging bells in late spring.

Where it lives

Typical habitats
  • gardens
  • patios and lawns
Range
It is native from the Himalayas across East and Southeast Asia to Japan and the northern Philippines. It has also been recorded as introduced in several U.S. states.
Preferred conditions
It prefers moist, well-drained acidic to neutral soil in full sun or partial shade and is suited to USDA zones 5a–9b.

Growing it

Care
Protect it from drying heat and strong wind, and keep the root zone evenly moist.
Propagation
It can be propagated by seed or stem cuttings; seeds need both warm and cold before they germinate.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms
Garden selections include pink-flowered ‘Pink Chimes’ and ‘Rosea’, a weeping form called ‘Pendula’, and the white-flowered ‘Snow Cone’.

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
16 sources
  1. iNaturalist API — Styrax japonicus
  2. Plants of the World Online — Styrax japonicus
  3. 한국민족문화대백과사전 — 때죽나무
  4. 영흥수목원 식물 소개 — 때죽나무
  5. 森林総合研究所九州支所 — エゴノキ
  6. NC State Extension — Styrax japonicus
  7. 森林総合研究所多摩森林科学園 — エゴノキの花
  8. NC State Extension — Fragrant Snowbell
  9. Apicultural Society of Korea — Styrax japonicus flower visitors
  10. 環境省 — 夏の実・エゴノキとヤマガラ
  11. 수원시 영흥수목원 — 쪽동백나무
  12. iNaturalist taxon search — Apis mellifera
  13. iNaturalist taxon search — Sittiparus varius
  14. 국립생물자원관 국가생물종목록 — Apis mellifera
  15. 石川県いしかわ樹木図鑑 — エゴノキ
  16. 국립생물자원관 — 서양꿀벌 Apis mellifera 표기
Japanese storax (Styrax japonicus) — identification, habitat & look-alikes | Moeyo