This deciduous shrub bearing attractive racemes of flower is nestled in the back of the Winter Garden.
The genus Stachyurus contains approximately 20 species of woody plants, and is the sole member of the family Stachyuraceae. All members occur in eastern Asia, and all are deciduous. A Japanese species, Stachyurus praecox prefers a humus-rich soil, and while tolerating alkaline conditions, it will thrive in an acidic soil. Growing to 10m in height, it produces elegant racemes of up to 20 individual flowers in spring.