Styrax Japonicus June Snow

Styrax japonicus June Snow, also called Japanese Snowbell June Snow, is especially prized for its fragrant blooms in late spring and early summer. Winner of the Gold Medal at GrootGroenPlus 2015, this new cultivar is an excellent choice of small ornamental tree for gardens large and small! It is a long flowering variety and retains its foliage until late autumn. 

Native to east Asia, Styrax japonicas is a family of small deciduous ornamental trees. The cultivar Styrax japonicus June Snow was developed in the Netherlands in the 1990’s by Chris van der Wurff. Glossy green leaves 5-11 cm long are ornamented in May and June by drooping racemes of fragrant white bell-shaped flowers with yellow stamens, up to 15 mm wide, creating a carpet of snow beneath the branches as they fall. Bees will flock to this rich nectar source! The flowers of Japanese Snowbell June Snow are followed by olive-coloured oval drupes which persist into late autumn. The foliage turns yellow and orange in autumn. In winter, the orange inner bark appearing through cracks in the outer bark of mature specimens adds visual interest.

Hardy in all parts of the UK, Styrax japonicus June Snow will grow to a mature height of 8 metres and spread of 2.5 metres in 20 years. Little pruning is necessary to maintain its narrow, upright crown, but to create a taller stem, you can prune lower branches up to one-third of the total height of the tree.

Styrax japonicus June Snow should be planted in full sun or partial shade in a sheltered position with an east, south, or west-facing aspect, in moist but well-drained sand, clay or loam soil with an acid to neutral pH and plenty of added humus. Pest and disease-free, this tree presents few potential problems once established! Japanese Snowbell June Snow is salt tolerant, and so is well-suited to planting in coastal areas, and since it is also tolerant of pollution, will do well in city gardens. Its deer resistance makes it a good choice in the country as well.

Japanese Snowbell June Snow makes a splendid small specimen tree in the middle of a small lawn, where its spring blossoms and long-lasting foliage will make it an excellent focal point. It is a good tree for a woodland garden.

Styrax japonicus June Snow has all of the most desirable qualities of the Japanese Snowbell, with the added benefits of a narrow growth habit and increased hardiness, making it a good choice for gardens across the UK!