STYRAX. Snowdrop bush. Widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. A large group of shrubs and trees with simple, often roughly oval, leaves, showy, usually white, 5-8 petalled flowers, and attractive round seed capsules. Many are too tender for the open garden, even in California, but there are fortunately several hardy species.The following are easy to grow in sun or light shade, with well drained soil. Their water requirements are individually described.

japonicus. A bushy tree 15-30' high, though easily pruned to a smaller size. The zigzag trunks hold their branches in attractive tiers. It has broad 2-3" leaves, deep green during the growing season but often painted scarlet to gold before dropping in the fall. Nodding, broadly bell shaped blossoms, a little less than 1" across, are borne in small clusters along the stems in early summer. They are lightly but sweetly fragrant. The usual flower color is pure white. The cultivar ‘Roseus’, received recently from Piroche Nurseries in British Columbia, is one of the loveliest small trees I have ever seen. It has rows of light pink flowers all along the previous year’s stems for many weeks, running well into summer. Plants of this species should be given moderate to regular watering. Hardy to around 0^oF.

redivivus. A California native shrub, found in both light woods and open chaparral. It grows nearly round to 6-10' and is closely branched, with attractive tan bark. The roundish 2-3" leaves are bright green to greyish green in spring and summer, turning yellow to orange in fall and dropping in early winter. Waxy, bell shaped flowers resembling orange blossoms, pure white with yellow stamens, hang in small clusters from the branches in spring. Fragrance is a frequent bonus. Drought tolerant when established, and hardy to 0-10^oF.