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Stewartia malacodendron
Also called Virginia Stewartia, Round Fruit Stewartia
Silky camellia is a slow-growing deciduous shrub or small tree from the southeastern United States, typically 3 to 4.5 m tall, with camellia-like flowers. It grows best in partial shade in well-drained soil and is difficult to transplant and propagate.
Stewartia malacodendron, the silky camellia, silky stewartia or Virginia stewartia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Theaceae. It grows slowly into a large deciduous shrub or small tree, typically 3–4.5 m (10–15 ft) tall, but sometimes as tall as 9 m (30 ft). It is native to the southeastern United States.
The Latin specific epithet malacodendron literally means "soft tree". Its common name "silky camellia" alludes to the appearance and texture of the flowers, which resemble those of the related camellias.
Plants have a slow growth rate, are difficult to transplant and are a challenge to propagate. They grow best in partial shade in well draining soils.
Stewartia malacodendron has been cultivated in the United States since 1752. It is also grown in parks and gardens elsewhere in the temperate regions of the world, and in the UK has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Stewartia malacodendron is native to Texas, where it is rare, being found in a small area along Little Cow Creek near Burkeville, growing at the sides of streams, ravines and wooded bluffs in well draining soils. It is also found in scattered locations in the states of Arkansas, Georgia, Florida (panhandle region), Louisiana and southern Alabama and as far north as Virginia. This tree species is listed as endangered in the US states of Arkansas and Florida.
Japanese stewartia · Upright Stewartia · Chinese Stewartia · Stewartia
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Stewartia malacodendron by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
