Plant of the Month: March

Stachyurus praecox Common name: Spiketail Family: Stachyuraceae Vital statistics Height and spread: 1-4m (3-12ft) high by 3m (10ft) wide Form: Deciduous shrub Soil: Moist, well-drained, humus-rich, fertile, neutral to acid soil. Aspect: Prefers partial shade. Hardiness: Hardy throughout the British Isles.

Stachyurus praecox @ Rosemoor

The Stachyurus is in an open position beside the stream, along the eastern approach to the underpass.

Stachyurus

This is a genus of about 10 species of deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs, and occasionally small trees. They are native to woodlands and thickets in the Himalayas and East Asia. They are grown for their pendant spikes of flowers, which are produced on bare stems before the leaves emerge.

The genus name Stachyurus comes from the Greek, where stachys is a spike and oura is a tail, after the flowers. This is also the origin of the common name, spiketail.

Stachyurus praecox

This is a spreading, deciduous shrub that bears oval, mid-green leaves on arching, reddish-purple shoots. It is grown for is hanging spikes of tiny, bell-shaped, pale yellowish-green flowers that appear on bare stems in late winter and early spring. They look like yellow catkins, and are up to 10cm (4in) long.

It grows on the Japanese mountains, and its Japanese name Kibusi, comes from the fact that the seed is used for black dye.

The plant offers some autumnal colour as the leaves turn a gold and reddish hue.

It makes a lovely plant for a woodland garden, and is suitable in any shrub border. It can also be trained against a wall.              

S. praecox var. matsuzakii has been described as "Stachyurus on steroids" because the stems, leaves and flowers are significantly larger. S. praecox var. matsuzakii 'Scherzo'  has bright gold markings on the leaves.

AGM

The RHS Floral B Committee awarded Stachyurus praecox an Award of Garden Merit and described it as: Spreading large deciduous shrub with slender-pointed, ovate leaves 8-15cm long, and stiffly-drooping racemes to 8cm long of bell-shaped, pale yellow flowers 8mm wide.

Cultivation

Stachyurus praecox prefers to grow in moist but well-drained, humus-rich, fertile soil that is neutral to acid. It prefers partial shade but will tolerate full sun if it is kept reliably moist. Provide shelter from cold, drying winds.

Pruning is not essential, but if carried out it should be done after flowering, to maintain a healthy framework. Cut out flowered shoots to the base on mature plants.

Hard frosts may damage the flower buds.

It is generally not susceptible to pests and disease.

Propagation

Sow seed in containers in a cold frame in the autumn.

Take heeled, semi-ripe cuttings in summer.