Rhodoleia (Hamamelidaceae) WWJ11943

aff. parvipetala

An unlikely member of the witch hazel family on first encounter, with lax branches of very glossy dark green thick textured oblong leaves to 12cm long which can be silvery white below. Forming small to medium sized sturdy trees where I collected the seed close to the Chinese border in northern Vietnam with Peter Wharton in 2007. Flowering mid to late summer in the wild, with a flamboyant display of Rhododendron-like inflorescences of bright pink flowers made up of many broadly spatulate petals. Best grown in a sheltered warm position in full sun to light shade in a freely draining organic soil that is neutral to acid.