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BeautybushKolkwitzia amabilis
An easy-to-grow, fast-growing flowering shrub, the beautybush impresses with a fountain-like spray of pink blossoms befitting its name. Blooming later than many others (from late spring into summer—as far as June in some areas), it’s a perfect landscape piece to keep colorful interest in your yard. Striking deep green foliage continues into summer, then turns reddish for great fall interest.
This old-fashioned shrub is perfect for use as a specimen or as a flowering hedge.
Hardiness Zones
The beautybush can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 4–8. View Map
Tree Type
This is a flowering shrub, typically planted for its profusion of flowers.
Mature Size
The beautybush grows to a height of 6–10', with an equal spread, at maturity.
Growth Rate
This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.
Sun Preference
Full sun and partial shade are best for this shrub, meaning it prefers a minimum of 4 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
Soil Preference
The beautybush grows well in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam and well-drained soils. It is drought-tolerant.
Attributes
This shrub:
- Features bark that peels on older stems.
- Yields feathery, pinkish-brown-gray seedpods in the summer, after flowering.
- Blooms with more profusion in full sun than in partial shade.
- Will produce a dense, compact shape in full sun but a taller, arching shape in partial shade.
- Grows in a vase shape.
- Produces charming, pink, bell-shaped flowers from May to early June.
History/Lore
This shrub is native to western China.