PlantFiles: Korean Stewartia, Japanese Stewartia
Stewartia pseudocamellia var. koreana

The fall color is always outstanding. Usually one of the first trees to turn in my NY garden.

Jeff
Hamptonsgarden.com

Beautiful in all seasons. Have seen some branch die-back in Michigan (zone 5) in trees that are planted in the open. Should probably be given some shelter in zone 5.

This tree is ideally adapted to the acid soils and maritime climate of the Pacific Northwest, where it's cool enough to be planted in full sun. My 12 year old tree flowers profusely every year without fail and never shows leaf burn or other issues mentioned in the other posts. It has well behaved roots, and its slow growth keeps it in bounds and tidy for many years. With its mottled bark and excellent fall color I highly recommend this tree in this area!

Purchased from a quality nurseryman and Growing in Zone 5 , west side, since 2004. The top branch central stem keeps dying, though the tree appears healthy and responds to all seasonal changes. There are 2 dead vertical stems in the top central part of the tree. Can anyone tell me why this occurs? English ivy groundcover is growing at the base. It's October, should I fertilize or have an arborist check the tree.

My Stewartia has the variegated leaves also. It was purchased in Michigan and it's been planted in my yard since Nov., 2008. When my landscaper came back to check on the tree, he got all excited, thinking that it may be a new species. About 1/3 of the tree has the cream/green variegated leaves. I love the tree. It seems to be doing very well in full sun. The first summer I only had 3 blooms, but I see at least 6 flowers on it this morning.

I want to move our 3-year-old Stewartia, but everything I'm reading says they're tough to transplant. Has anyone had experience?

Mine has only been in the ground for a year, so it's still settling in. However, it looks like a variegated variety- see the foliage detail I uploaded. Only one small branch had green leaves, the rest had a wide cream margin. The margins are uniform throughout the whole plant. I've collected seed to see if I can propagate another variegated plant, and will try cuttings in the spring. Any Stewartia aficionados out there to help me verify if this is, indeed, a variegated variety?

Update: My tree no longer has any 'variegated' leaves, and I have discovered that it was a Potassium deficiency in the soil. Bucholz & Bucholz has Stewartia monadelpha 'Variegata', although that species is not as hardy as S. pseudocamellia.

This splendid tree is growing fine in Belgium (zone 8).
There is however no reason to give it its own species name. It is only a variety (form) of Stuartia pseudocamellia (not Stewartia).
Hence the correct designation is: Stuartia pseudocamellia var. koreana

I had the chance to observe a mature specimen at the University of Maine in Orono that has been established for a number of years now, it's getting to be about 20+ feet now, i can't say anything bad about the ornamental features, from what i understand zone 4 is a little iffy when starting out because cold effects the younger plants. once established the tree does well in a well drained moderately moist soil. i just love the fall color of this tree, as well as the flowers and the slightly exfoliate bark. this tree makes the landscape pop with color and ornament all year round.

We planted a 5 ft. Stewartia in Central NY - Worcester and it did great for two years, even flowered. It was in native soil on a south facing slope with tall trees to the West, plenty of sun. Now it seems to be dead. We are so disappointed. We thought it was getting established after surviving the first few winters... Any ideas? Thanks.

Lovely in all seasons. Blooms fall from tree right after opening. We have always had a profuse bloom. Tree is in shaded area close to house. This tree is approximately twenty seven years old and about twenty five feet tall. Never a problem. Bark is an outstanding feature of tree. Tree was here when we moved into home in 1992.

I planted my tree in full sun about 7 years ago and it far surpasses the specimen at our local botanic garden. It has hundreds of blossoms appearing over 3-4 weeks. The exfoliating bark is lovely in the winter. Everyone wants to know what kind of tree it is. I kept it well-watered the first season in the ground-watering very well once a week. No disease or bugs thus far. I am in central Massachusetts.

I planted a huge (8-10') specimen early spring 2005. It bloomed profusely both years so far, and has many buds again this year. I planted it in a location with full morning and noon-time sun, and afternoon shade; and it's in sandy soil to which I have added tons (almost literally) of peat moss and composted manure. Like everything else new here close to the beach, I've got it under timed drip irrigation.

Novice landscapers planted this in a very sunny and windy location at the front corner of house. The first year or two the tree struggled with very little flowering and burned leaf tips. Over the last year it has grown much stronger and had beautiful leaf color in the fall. There are a multitude of buds now, and I look forward to another good year.

Beautiful, vigorous plant in New England. The exfoliating bark and late-blooming flowers make it a gorgeous specimen tree. But be aware that if you live in a non-controlled environment, Stewartia has a tendency to self-seed in a woodland locale, so can be hard to control (lawns and urban/suburban environments are fine. Deer do not find it good eating, so again- it makes it a perfect tree for a garden- but is invasive (see a reference in "Arnoldia" by Peter del Tredichi in the October 2003 issue) if you live in or near a forest.

I have had my Stewartis about 5-6 years and it ALWAYS loses it buds (or most of them) before blooming. I have it in partial sun. The buds form and just before opening, they fall to the ground. Very disappointing.

I have had this tree in my yard/garden since June 2001. I have not had any hardiness issues with this tree (no die-back at all).

This tree has spectacular orange/red fall color.

This tree blooms in mid/late June and early July (here in Minneapolis). The flowers on the Korean variety of Stewartia pseudocamellia are much flatter than the form from Japan.

Some have given this tree its own species designation (Stewartia koreana), but there is not enough evidence to support this. The tree from Korea is simply a form (or variety) of the Japanese Stewartia.

My soil pH is 6.8

The bark on this tree is spectacular as the tree ages. My tree is all of 4.5' tall and the bark is already starting to exfoliate.

One garden catalog description stated that this tree is: "Arborea perfecta".

Truer words have never been printed. This is truly a four-season tree.
Mike

I planted mine in full sun this July, the leaves burned a little bit, then recovered. It has grown about 4 or 5 inches. I'll post again when it flowers this spring(I hope)