Disporum cantoniense

RHS Plant Profile

Canton fairy bells

RHS

Other common names

Chinese fairy bells

Synonyms

Disporum pullum

Herbaceous Perennial

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A clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial to 90cm tall or more, bearing lance-shaped leaves to 12cm long on arching stems. Tubular purplish-red, brownish-red or creamy-white flowers in clusters on short stalks in late spring and early summer, followed by dark-red berries in autumn

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Colchicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Disporum are rhizomatous perennials with alternate leaves on sparsely branched stems, and solitary or clustered, nodding bell-shaped flowers in the leaf axils, followed by berries
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Himalaya to Java

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in cool moist, well-drained humus-rich soil in a very sheltered shady position; protect with a dry winter mulch. Grow in a cool greenhouse in frost prone areas

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in autumn. Divide in spring before or as growth begins

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Coastal
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

cut down old stems in late winter

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and vine weevil

Diseases

Generally disease-free