Stachyurus praecox

Stachyurus praecox is an underused shrub native to Japan and the Himalayas. It ends the winter season with the emergence of small, yellow flowers on racemes 4-12 inches long. Small flowers bloom in February and March when the shrub is void of leaves.

It's not grown or sold prolifically in the United States because it blooms when most people aren't shopping in the garden centers, said Flo Chaffin, owner of Specialty Ornamentals in Watkinsville, Ga. But the plant can be found in mail-order catalogs for those willing to look for it, she said.

"It should be grown more because it's a spectacular plant," she said.

Baubles and beads

This deciduous shrub grows to 10 feet high and "takes an interesting shape once it gets some size," Chaffin said. Its growth habit is upright, but the racemes droop like strands on a necklace hanging from a hook. The toothed leaves are glossy and bright green with a gold to red tint in fall. Leaves typically grow 3-5 inches long. Branches are cinnamon to purple in color.

Spiketail grows in full sun but does best in light shade. It prefers well-drained, moist soil, but it's a "tough" plant and will survive a variety of conditions, Chaffin said. Heavy frost will destroy the buds, and it's hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 6-8.

In the landscape

Because of its odd shape and often large size, S. praecox looks best in a shrub border or at the back of a bed with perennials grown in front, Chaffin said.

It typically does not need pruning, but it can be pruned as soon as the bloom is spent. It's propagated by cuttings and by seed. South Carolina Botanical Garden propagated S. praecox using 4- to 6-inch softwood cuttings taken in April to early May dipped in 3,000 parts per million indolebutyric acid for 15-25 seconds, according to the Clemson University Horticulture Department in Clemson, S.C.

It's easy to grow and has no significant disease or pest problems, Chaffin said. She typically grows it in 3-gallon pots.

Other spiketails

S. praecox var. mitsuzakii has been described as "Stachyurus on steroids" because the stems, leaves and flowers are double in size, said Karan Junker of Junker's Nursery in Somerset, England.

'Aureomarginata' grows up to 15 feet tall and has bright gold-edged leaves.

'Issai' flowers earlier and racemes are mulitbranched with up to three divisions.

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Specifics

Name: Stachyurus praecox

Common name: Spiketail.

Family: Stachyuraceae.

Origin: Japan.

Description: Deciduous shrub with cinnamon to purple branches and yellow flowers in late winter.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 6-8.

Propagation: Seed or cutting.

Culture: Well-drained soil, full sun to light shade. Avoid heavy frost; no pruning necessary.

For more: Specialty Ornamentals, 3650 Colham Ferry Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677; (706) 310-0143; fax (706) 310-0562; www.specialtyornamentals.com. South Carolina Botanical Garden, 102 Garden Trail, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0174; (864) 656-3405; scbg@clemson.edu. Junker's Nursery, Lower Mead, West Hatch, Taunton, TA35RN, Somerset, United Kingdom; telephone 011 (44) 1823 480774; fax 011 (44) 1823 481046; karan@junker.net.

- Kelli Rodda