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Chinese pearlbloom

Poliothyrsis sinensis (po-lee-oh-THUR-sis sih-NEN-sis)

Family: Salicaceae Non-native Canopy (>40 ft)

A small tree with fragrant flowers that have no petals, blooming on 8" panicles. The buds do not fully open but retain a shape resembling a pearl. The flowers bloom on new wood. Some resemblance to a tree lilac.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 37 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Cornus alternifolia Magnolia 'Jane' Prunus serotina

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Tree
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Cordate
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves hang downward on bright red petioles and face outward. The Burgandy-bronze leaves become yellow in the fall.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Cream/Tan; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Panicle
Flower detail
Fragrant flowers in 6 to 8 in. terminal panicles.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Winged fruit
Bark color
Dark Gray
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Central & Southern China
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Patio; Pool/Hardscape
Design feature
Accent; Flowering Tree; Foundation Planting; Specimen
Garden tags
#deciduous #flowering tree #fall interest #fragrant flowers

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.