Korean Sweetheart Tree Staphylea japonica
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Euscaphis japonica
- Phonetic Spelling
- staf-FEE-lee-ah juh-PON-ih-kuh
- Description
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Staphylea japonica, commonly called the Korean sweetheart tree, is a 12 to 20 foot high hardy perennial shrub or small tree in the bladdernut or Staphyleaceae family. This is a J.C. Raulston Arboretum introduction and it is rare to find one in cultivation. J. C. Raulston discovered the Korean sweetheart tree in 1985 on the Korean Peninsula while participating in a U.S. National Arboretum collection expedition. He brought seeds back to the North Carolina State Arboretum for assessment and evaluation.
Korean Sweetheart grows best in medium moisture, well-drained, sandy soil or loam in full sun to part shade. You can expect more success growing as a transplant than attempting to grow from seed. It will tolerate brief periods of drought, but best performance is in soils with consistent and even moisture. You should avoid planting in areas of hot and dry summers.The plant has a horizontal form with branches that are open and irregular. The bark is violet-chocolate with white stripes and is quite striking especially in winter. In fall, the leaves turn an unusual mahogany color. The plant's flowers appear in May and June and are small and unremarkable; however, they are followed by heart-shaped seed capsules that turn an intense cherry-red in fall and open to reveal black seeds. Staphylea japonica is very drought tolerant.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
There are no known serious problems with insects or disease.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Staphylea
- Species:
- japonica
- Family:
- Staphyleaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China, Japan
- Dimensions:
- Height: 12 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- 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)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Description:
- Abundant, heart-shaped seed capsules that turn an intense cherry-red in fall and open to reveal black seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Panicle
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- > 6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Small (1/4 inch), yellow flowers in terminal panicles to 9” long. They appear from May to June and are followed by heart-shaped seed capsules that turn an intense cherry-red in fall and open to reveal black seeds.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Each 6 to 10 inch long emerald green leaf has 7 to 11 leathery, fine-toothed, glossy, slender-pointed leaflets.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Bark Description:
- Unusual violet-chocolate with white stripes in winter.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
