Also known as Isu tree, the Evergreen Witch Hazel or Winter-hazel, Distylium racemosum is a shrub and a medium-sized tree. Although Distylium growth rate is slow, it can grow up to 3m in height. It is a hermaphrodite plant that buds leaves in January, starts flowering in March to April (spring) and matures with ripe seeds in June all the way to August.
Distylium racemosum belongs to the Hamamelidaceae family. The genus Distylium has about 18 plant species, including racemosum, chinense, dunnianum,gracile, chungii, tsiangii, myricoides, buxifolium, etc. The plant is native to southeastern and eastern Asia, including Korea, Japan and China.
Although 12 species are only found (endemic) in China, four are commercially available. They include: the Blue Isu Tree, Isu Tree, racemosum and myricoides. Winter-hazel has multiple stems and thus spreads widely. It has small, red flowers with stamens, but no petals. The evergreen leaves are glossy and leathery. Unlike the myricoides species, racemosum blooms much later.
Distylium racemosum, the isu tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Hamamelidaceae.[1] It is native to subtropical eastern Asia; central and southern Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, South Korea (Jeju Island), southeastern China, Taiwan, Hainan, and northern Vietnam.[2] There are a number of cultivars, including 'Guppy' and the variegated 'Akebono'.[3][4]
Flowers with leaves
At Oyama Shrine
A young individual at a shrine in Japan
A mature individual
Distylium racemosum, the isu tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Hamamelidaceae. It is native to subtropical eastern Asia; central and southern Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, South Korea (Jeju Island), southeastern China, Taiwan, Hainan, and northern Vietnam. There are a number of cultivars, including 'Guppy' and the variegated 'Akebono'.
Flowers with leaves
At Oyama Shrine
A young individual at a shrine in Japan
A mature individual
