Large, wide-spreading evergreen shrubs or small trees. The leaves can be quite large and impressive, emerging in late summer after the flowers fade. The long funnel-shaped, deliciously fragrant flowers (mid- to late summer) are typically white with a greenish blotch, sometimes rose. A large and stunning plant with glandular-sticky new growth. As this species occurs primarily in a more climatically continental region of China (E Sichuan, W Hubei and E Guizhou) than most other species with large leaves, it is more tolerant of heat and cold extremes. A forest species, occurring from 1,600 to 7,500 ft.
1967/698 BOS (-5). An award form with pure white fragrant flowers in July. AM 1922.
1981/025 GRE:UBCP (-5). This clone is the rare pink-flowered form of the species (known to occur in the wild). Best in light shade to protect the hot-season flowers. Rarely offered.
1995/252 PW#50 (-5\R1\5). These are seedlings brown from Peter Wharton’s collection of seed at 4,900 ft. in N Guizhou Province, China. A plant from this collection has bloomed at Millais Nursery in England and the flowers were a rich rose-pink in color! (Of course we cannot guarantee flower color on your particular seedlings). This may be true “pink” auriculatum or it may possibly be a new taxon. Bright red-purple new growth late in the season. A fantastic species, the last to bloom here in the garden. Quite easy in light shade.
