- Corylopsis
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Corylopsis 
Corylopsis spicata in flower Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Core eudicots Order: Saxifragales Family: Hamamelidaceae Genus: Corylopsis
Siebold & Zucc.Corylopsis is a genus of nearly 30 species of shrubs in the witch hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern Asia with the majority of species endemic in China but with some also in Japan, Korea, and the Himalaya. This genus is also known from the extinct species Corylopsis reedae described from Eocene leaf fossils found in Washington State, USA.
They grow to 2-6 m tall, and often with a crown wider than tall. The leaves are ovate with an acute apex and a serrated margin, 4-20 cm long and 3-15 cm broad. The flowers are produced in late winter in pendulous racemes 3-9 cm long with 5-30 flowers; each flower has five pale yellow petals, 4-9 mm long. The fruit is a dry capsule 10-12 mm long, containing two glossy black seeds.
- Selected species
- Native to China unless otherwise indicated
- Corylopsis alnifolia
- Corylopsis brevistyla
- Corylopsis glabrescens (Japan, Korea)
- Corylopsis glandulifera
- Corylopsis glaucescens
- Corylopsis griffithii (Himalaya)
- Corylopsis henryi
- Corylopsis himalayana (Himalaya)
- Corylopsis microcarpa
- Corylopsis multiflora
- Corylopsis obovata
- Corylopsis omeiensis
- Corylopsis pauciflora (Japan, Taiwan)
- Corylopsis platypetala
- Corylopsis rotundifolia
- Corylopsis sinensis
- Corylopsis spicata (Japan)
- Corylopsis stelligera
- Corylopsis trabeculosa
- Corylopsis veitchiana
- Corylopsis velutina
- Corylopsis willmottiae
- Corylopsis yui
- Corylopsis yunnanensis
Cultivation and uses
Corylopsis spicata
They are often grown in gardens for their very early, yellow flowers. They do have weak branches though, which are often damaged by heavy snow loads. Corylopsis prefers to grow in semi-shade or shade, protected from strong winds. It grows best on humus-rich soils. The sweetly scented flowering branches keep well in a vase. Corylopsis also makes good bonsai plants, especially C. pauciflora.
References
- Radtke,Meghan G., Pigg, Kathleen B., & Wehr, Wesley C. (2005); "Fossil Corylopsis and Fothergilla leaves (Hamamelidaceae) from the Lower Eocene flora of Republic, Washington, U.S.A., and their evolutionary and biogeographic significance" International Journal of Plant Science 166(2):347–356
- Flora of China: Corylopsis
Categories: Hamamelidaceae | Saxifragales stubs
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