Fragrant Snowbell
Styrax obassia
Styracaceae (Styrax Family)
▲ flowering tree
▲ flower buds and leaves
▲ flowers
▲ leaf, showing teeth toward tip
Location on Missouri State University campus: east side of Plaster Student Union
Styrax obassia:
Fragrant Snowbell
·
leaves alternate,
deciduous, simple, broad-oval to rounded, 3-8 inches long and 2/3 or equally
wide, with
abruptly-pointed tips and toothed margins, particularly toward leaf tip; dark
green and hairless at maturity on upper side, and pubescent underneath
·
stems
thick, red-brown, peeling to show green inner bark; shiny brown after that, then
gray-brown and furrowed as they enlarge
·
buds
oval, with scales that cover whole bud, gray-brown, usually in pairs with larger
floral bud inside smaller vegetative bud, 0.125-0.25 inches long
·
bark
is smooth, gray, with some fissures as the tree grows larger
·
grows
20-30 feet tall, with oval canopy, becoming more open and irregular with age
·
flowers showy, fragrant, white, bell-like in late-spring, but somewhat hidden by
large leaves
·
fruit
is an oval, dry drupe that splits open along its midsection at maturity
·
prefers part shade to moderate shade in moist, fertile acidic soils
·
slow
to medium growth rate