Native range and habitat: Japanese Snowbell is native to China and Japan. In the United States, it is planted in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8, most often for its showy white flowers. Like related native trees, Carolina Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera) and American snowbell (Styrax americanus), Japanese Snowbell grows best in moist, fertile soils. This species rarely escapes cultivation.
Plant Family: The Storax Family is a plant group of thorny shrubs or small trees with silvery leaves and red fruits. Plants are usually alternate, sometimes opposite, that take root in dry soils. Flowers are regular and bisexual with male and female flowers growing on different plants. Flowers have 4 united sepals, which are pedal like, and no pedals, with 4 to 8 stamen. Ovary is inferior that look like a drupe. There are 3 genera and 50 species of plants native to the Northern Hemisphere, with nitrogen-fixed bacteria in their soil (self fertilizing). |
State champion: Japanese Snowbell does not have a recognized national champion. The Virginia champion Japanese Silverberry is located in Norfolk, VA.
Virginia Champion Japanese Snowbell:
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Radford University: There is only one Japanese Snowbell tree on RU campus. It is located in front of Muse Hall (red box on the map below, tree #889).
RU Japanese Snowbell (Tree #889)
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