Stewartia Growing in Wisconsin

Characteristics

• Japanese stewartia is a medium sized, pyramid shaped tree with deep green leaves featuring finely serrated edges. In the autumn, the leaves turn vivid red, yellow and purple, giving a colorful show to your yard. Stewartia features single white flowers with a center of orange anthers. The flowers open progressively, giving several weeks of blossoms. As the bark ages, it peels away from the tree trunk, leaving a gray, orange and green patchwork appearance. Brown seed-bearing capsules form after the flowers fall from the tree. These capsules look similar to a horse chestnut.

Culture

• Japanese stewartia trees thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5b through 7. This makes them a good landscaping choice for eastern Wisconsin’s hardiness zone, 5b. Most yards will accommodate a Japanese stewartia, because it can grow in sun, shade or partial sun locations and is drought resistant. Stewartia requires acidic soil composed of loam, sand or clay that is well drained. Pests and diseases are not a problem for Japanese stewartia.

Types

• Cultivars of Japanese stewartia include Ballet, Cascade and Pink Form, according to the University of Connecticut. Ballet features the largest blooms, up to 4 inches wide. Cascade, as its name implies, is a weeping stewartia with drooping branches. Pink Form is rare and features light pink blossoms.

Uses

• Because of its small size, fragrant blossoms and colorful foliage, Japanese stewartia is frequently planted in large planters on patios or decks. Towns landscape along streets with Japanese stewartia because of the tree's hardiness and weather tolerance, and the tree is used to landscape highway medians and parking lots. Homeowners often choose Japanese stewartia as ornamental lawn trees.