Pterostyrax
( teer - oh - STYE - racks )
At-A-Glance InformationThis genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs is commonly called Epaulette Tree, and needs full sun to partial shade and regular water. These eastern Asian native plants make interesting garden specimens; their white, frilly flower clusters appear in springtime and last into early summer, and leaves are deep green. Plant these trees where their canopy can be admired from below. Epaulette Trees are wonderful in woodland border gardens and as focal points in shrubberies.
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pterostyrax Species and Varietals
The genus Pterostyrax is a member of the plant family Styracaceae and includes just four species. Epaulette Tree grows well in zones 3-10 and 14-21. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Pterostyrax hispidus (Pterostyrax hispida) This species, native to Japan and China can be grown as either a single- or multi-trunked tree reaching 20-30 feet tall and just as wide. Leaves are light green above, gray-green underneath. White flowers appear in puffy, slightly fragrant clusters. Fruits are small, furry and grey, and hang on through the winter months; attractive on otherwise bare branches. |
Caring for and pruning pterostyrax Trees
Epaulette Trees prefer a place in the landscape that receives full sun to partial shade. In warmer climates, make sure these trees (especially when young) are getting some protection from the hottest rays of afternoon sun, which can scorch foliage and branches and stress out the tree. These plants will flower more profusely in full sun, and need hot, sunny summertime weather to flower well. Soil should be slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH of between 5.5 and 7.0. Substrate should be well-draining. If local soils are heavy or overly clayey, make sure to amend the planting site with plenty of organic material and/or sand before installing. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of trees to suppress weed growth, increase soil moisture retention, and help to regulate soil temperatures. Water young plants regularly during the growing season. Established trees are considered to be somewhat drought-tolerant, but do appreciate consistent moisture during the drier months of the year.
Once established, these trees do not need much in the way of pruning. In late winter or early springtime, prune back dead, damaged, diseased, or crossing branches and thin out the canopy. A light shaping can also be completed after flowering has ceased for the year. Apply a feeding with an organic compost in springtime around the base of trees and shrubs. This will typically be sufficient to support growth and flowering for the year, but if trees seem stunted or are struggling, they may benefit from an additional feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring, as well. Avoid excessively fertilizing these trees and shrubs, as they will push out a lot of leafy foliage growth at the expense of flowering.
Once established, these trees do not need much in the way of pruning. In late winter or early springtime, prune back dead, damaged, diseased, or crossing branches and thin out the canopy. A light shaping can also be completed after flowering has ceased for the year. Apply a feeding with an organic compost in springtime around the base of trees and shrubs. This will typically be sufficient to support growth and flowering for the year, but if trees seem stunted or are struggling, they may benefit from an additional feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring, as well. Avoid excessively fertilizing these trees and shrubs, as they will push out a lot of leafy foliage growth at the expense of flowering.
Propagation
Pterostyrax can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Pterostyrax tree or shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Pterostyrax by Cutting
Propagating Pterostyrax by Seed
Propagating Pterostyrax by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Pterostyrax by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds in fall. The seed pods are relatively easy to find; they hang onto the flower panicles after female flowers have faded, and will dry out and turn brown when ready to let go of seeds. Collect as many as possible, place them in a paper bag, and bring them indoors. They can be stored in a cool, dark, dry place for about a year.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
These trees have no serious insect or disease problems. For information on common garden plant issues, consult the following pages:
Gallery
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All about the Epaulette Tree.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 539, Pterostyrax
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