About Stachyurus praecox Siebold & Zucc.
Stachyurus praecox, commonly known as early stachyurus, is a flowering plant species in the family Stachyuraceae that is native to Japan. It is a spreading deciduous shrub that grows to 4 metres (13 feet) tall and 3 metres (10 feet) wide. Pendent, bell-shaped, primrose yellow flowers grow on bare arching branches during winter and spring, before leaves emerge. After flowering, ovate leaves develop; these leaves turn pink or red before falling in autumn. The Latin specific epithet praecox translates to "early", which refers to this plant's exceptionally early flowering season. This species was first formally described in 1836 by Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini. Stachyurus praecox is cultivated as an ornamental plant for temperate parks and gardens, but it is rarely encountered. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
