Japanese Stewartia Tree

Japanese Stewartia Tree, Stewartia pseudocamellia, is an Award-winning ornamental tree providing multiseason interest for a long-lasting display. It has an elegant branching form and is noted for its multi-colored exfoliating bark. This pollinator magnet produces delicate, white, ruffled flowers 2 - 2.5” in diameter that last for weeks in late spring through July. The leaves turn orange-red in the fall, putting on quite the head-turning show.

Japanese Stewartia Tree is easy to grow and is virtually pest- and disease-free. Shedding of the colorful leaves exposes the multicolored, flaky bark, which peels in strips of orange, gray, and reddish brown tones for added winter interest. Grown in Hardiness Zones 5-8, this tree has an elegant pyramidal habit, reaching heights of 20 - 25 ft with a canopy spread of 10-15 ft. 

Japanese Stewartia Tree Care

Japanese Stewartia prefers partial sun to shade locations, particularly in more Southern regions to prevent leaf burn. Japanese Stewartia requires nutrient-rich, well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 4.5-6.5. It's best to plant it in a location that provides some protection from harsh dry winter winds. It may take a few years for the Japanese Stewartia Tree to produce flowers, but be patient, they are worth the wait!

Prune to the desired shape after late spring flowering. It can be used in its natural multi-trunk form or trained when it's young as a single leader tree. Plant it at least 10-15 feet away from any nearby structures to allow room for its full canopy size. Japanese Stewartia has delicate peeling bark, so it's a good idea to put a fence around your newly planted tree to prevent deer from rubbing and damaging the bark. 

Japanese Stewartia Tree Spacing

Japanese Stewartia can be used as a single specimen or in mixed shrub borders, depending on how you shape it. Is it outstanding when used as a single-trunk specimen to flank either side of an entrance walkway; space trees 15 feet apart to make a stately impression.