| General Description | This shrub has shiny deep green leaves that turn lovely shades of yellows, oranges and reds in autumn. When its leaves fall it develops terminal flowers that turn pale pink when the open. They fade to white at the end of the flowering season. |
| ID Characteristic | Oval-shaped leaves with a glossy surface. Its blooms carry a pleasant fragrance. |
| Shape | Vase-shaped. |
| Landscape | Used as winter interest and for hedging, bordering and specimen planting. |
| Propagation | Propagate with cuttings. Collect 2 types of cuttings from the shrub – softwood cuttings during the summer and hardwood cuttings during the fall. |
| Cultivation | Requires light, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Requires a soil pH of 6.6 to 7.5. This plant can tolerate sandy or clay soils. Drought tolerant. |
| Pests | No known pests or diseases. Can be susceptible to frost damage in the winter to early spring. |
| Notable Specimens | Bodnant Botanical Gardens, Wales, UK. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Plain dark brown bark that is very smooth to the touch. Its bark begins to peel off with age. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Deep pink buds approximately 1 cm long. |
| Leaf Description | Oval-shaped leaves that are a shiny deep green colour with feathered veins. The underside of the leaves is a paler green opposed to the top. The underside in also covered in the little hairs. The leaves are about 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide depending on the grow rate. In the fall the leaves turn from their deep green to red and finish with a deep purple colour. |
| Flower Description | The flowers on this shrub open in November and reveal a pretty pale pink colour which fades to white coming to the end of its flowing period. Just like the buds before they open the blooms are about 1 cm in size, but when clustered together they are about 5-7 cm. The flowers also produce a strong scent. |
| Fruit Description | Small, red, oval-shaped poisonous berries that emerge once the flowers have dropped. |
| Colour Description | Dark brown bark, deep green leaves that are pale green on underside. Its leaves turn to orange, red, and purple in autumn. The flowers transition from a deep pink to a pale pink when they bloom and fade to white during autumn. The berries are initially red, changing to black at season's end. |
| Texture Description | Medium. |
