Sinowilsonia henryi Hemsl.

Sponsor this page

For information about how you could sponsor this page, see How You Can Help

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Sinowilsonia henryi' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/sinowilsonia/sinowilsonia-henryi/). Accessed 2024-04-19.

Genus

Sinowilsonia

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Sinowilsonia henryi' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/sinowilsonia/sinowilsonia-henryi/). Accessed 2024-04-19.

A brilliant group of five Sinowilsonia henryi isolated on lawn in Meise Botanical Garden (accession 19821299), Belgium. 15 October 2010. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

A deciduous shrub or small tree, occasionally 25 ft high and upwards in China. Leaves broadly elliptic to obovate, 3 to 6 in. long, 21⁄2 to 41⁄2 in. wide, rather like those of a lime, but short-stalked, strongly veined beneath, and covered there with starry hairs (like the young shoots), the margins set with bristle-like teeth. Flowers greenish, in slender, terminal, pendulous racemes 9 in. long. Fruits very downy, egg-shaped capsules, 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 in. long, stalkless, and arranged on long slender spikes.

Native of central and western China, common in N.W. Hupeh, where it inhabits the banks of mountain streams at 3,000 to 4,000 ft; introduced by Wilson for the Arnold Arboretum in 1908. It is of botanical interest but of little ornamental value, the flowers having no great beauty.

Despite the conjunction of the two great names it commemorates, Sinowilsonia henryi is really a very dull shrub indeed. Holker Hall, Cumbria, UK. May 2022. Image John Grimshaw.

The broadly elliptic to obovate leaves of Sinowilsonia henryi resemble those of a lime, but are short-stalked. A Private garden in Dallet (from Société des Amateurs de Jardins Alpins, 2003), France. 7 July 2012. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

The shy flowers of Sinowilsonia henryi are unisexual: here is the greenish female inflorescence. Private garden of Dr Antoon De Clercq, Nevele, Belgium. 9 May 2010. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

Leaves of Sinowilsonia henryi are strongly veined beneath and covered with stellate hairs. Meise Botanical Garden (19831497), Belgium. 19 May 2011. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

Fruits of Sinowilsonia henryi are borne on long slender spikes. Meise Botanical Garden (19821299), Belgium. 29 November 2014. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

The very downy, egg-shaped fruits of Sinowilsonia henryi are held on long slender spikes. Meise Botanical Garden (19831497), Belgium. 15 October 2010. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

In autumn Sinowilsonia henryi leaves turn yellow and then sometimes purplish. Meise Botanical Garden (19831497), Belgium. 16 October 2008. Image Guillaume Mamdy.

Foliage on Sinowilsonia henryi, from a shrub at Arboretum Het Leen Eeklo, Belgium (12 September 2012). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Leaf selection on Sinowilsonia henryi, here the lamina is ovate to cordate-ovate or obovate (Arboretum Het Leen Eeklo, Belgium – 12 September 2012). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

The lamina margin on Sinowilsonia henryi is often minutely denticulate, with the teeth not much more than the extensions of the vein(let)s (Arboretum Het Leen Eeklo, Belgium – 12 September 2012). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Stellate pubescence on Sinowilsonia henryi, and a rather slender petiole compaired to Fortunearia sinensis (Arboretum Het Leen Eeklo, Belgium – 12 September 2012). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.