PLANT FINDER
Nightfall® Japanese Snowbell
Styrax japonicus 'JFS 6SJ'
Height: 8 feet
Spread: 6 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5a
Brand: J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.
Description:
An elegant specimen shrub, featuring delicate, white bell-shaped flowers hanging from gracefully weeping branches in late spring; shiny dark green foliage matures to deep purple-black; needs moist, organic soil and some shelter, does well in part shade
Ornamental Features
Nightfall® Japanese Snowbell features dainty lightly-scented nodding white bell-shaped flowers with orange anthers hanging below the branches in late spring. It has attractive deep purple-variegated dark green foliage with hints of black. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and turn outstanding shades of orange and gold in the fall. The fruits are showy gray drupes displayed from late summer to late fall. The smooth khaki (brownish-green) bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes
Nightfall® Japanese Snowbell is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Nightfall® Japanese Snowbell is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- General Garden Use
Planting & Growing
Nightfall® Japanese Snowbell will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have rich, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Characteristics
Applications
Features & Attributes