Stachyurus praecox , or Stachyurus, is a deciduous, flowering shrub, typically growing to 4 to 6 feet and sometimes reaching 10 feet high. Plants in this genus are sometimes commonly called spiketail, in reference to the flowers. The plant is known for its colorful late winter to early spring flowers that bloom before the foliage emerges. Flower buds form in autumn and overwinter on the plant in pendant, catkin-like racemes that hang from the leaf axils. Flowers bloom in late March through April and make a great cut flower. This shrub has an open, upright, arching-spreading habit. Foliage may turn rosy red and yellow in fall. Stachyurus grows best in light, humusy, acidic, moist but well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. You cannot depend on the plant to withstand a cold winter, thus you should site it in protected, southern locations sheltered from cold, drying winter winds. Unprotected flower buds can be damaged by frost. Shrubs flower on old wood, so prune in early spring immediately after flowering. Remove flower shoots to the base on mature plants. Disease, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known problems, except that, as described above, the plant is not winter hardy.
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.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Broad; Erect; Rounded
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Lustrous dark green leaves, 3 to 7 inches long, orange to red fall and winter color. During the growing season, red-brown to chestnut-brown branches support ovate, tapered, serrate, medium green leaves (to 7 inches long).
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Good Cut; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Purple buds, pale yellow flowers on 2 to 4 inch raceme in March and April. Each flowering raceme has 10-20 tiny, bell-shaped, 4-petaled, yellow-green flowers (3/ 8 of an inch across).
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit detail
Small greenish, yellow-red checkered berry-like fruit.