RECOMMENDED SPECIES
Stachyurus Stachyurus praecox and S. chinensis: These are both large, arching, spreading shrubs, with shiny, purple, young twigs. The racemes are at least 3in (8cm) long, with up to 20 pale yellow flowers.
‘Celina’: A form of S. chinensis, with extra-long stalks, bearing 25 flowers.
‘Magpie’: A lovely shrub for planting next to the house, due to its grey-green leaves with irregular white margins. These can be tinged with pink when young. It is very special, but can be slow to establish and is weak growing at first.
Stachyurus praecox var. matsuzakii: This is a more robust plant than the species, and flowers a few weeks later, but it is less hardy and needs a sheltered site.
Corylopsis
Corylopsis pauciflora: Hailing from Japan, this is the most popular species. It is also the smallest, forming a broad, spreading shrub, eventually reaching 4ft (1.2m) high and considerably wider. The flowers are primrose-yellow, and it is one of the showiest in bloom, despite there only being two or three flowers in each cluster. The individual flowers are the largest in the genus. It is more susceptible to late spring frosts than other species, such as C. spicata, and will not tolerate dry, sunny sites or chalky soils.
Corylopsis spicata: A larger plant, with chubby catkins bearing up to 12 flowers on the spike. The leaves are flushed with purple when young. This was the first of the species to be introduced from the West, arriving from Japan in 1863. While it may not be the most graceful species, it is early to bloom and has the best perfume. The variant ‘Red Eye’ is distinguished by its bright red stamens.
Corylopsis sinensis: Another large species that can reach 10ft (3m) high and wide, and has many subspecies. It was introduced from China in 1901. ‘Spring Purple’ is the most common variant, introduced in 1969 by the famous Hilliers Nursery. Despite the name, the leaves, which are matt purple when young, continue to maintain this shade into summer as new growth is produced.