Polyspora axillaris ("Taiwantsubaki")

Japanese name: タイワンツバキ （台湾椿）
Scientific name: Polyspora axillaris

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub to tree about 9 m tall.
The leaves are simple and alternate, oblong, 6–14 cm long and 2.5–4 cm wide, thick and leathery, with a glossy upper surface.
There are low serrations on the upper half of the leaf.
The petiole is 1–1.5 cm.
The flowers grow singly in the leaf axils, 7–10 cm across, white with 5–6 petals, with numerous conspicuous yellow stamens.
The fruit is a capsule, and the seeds are flat with a wing on one side.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by cuttings, or by layering.
It is somewhat susceptible to cold, so north of the Kanto region it is grown in pots.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, fertile sandy soil.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
For plants in the ground, once established, rainfall is sufficient unless the soil becomes severely dry.
For plants in the garden, apply fertilizer in winter in January–February; for potted plants, apply slow-release fertilizer in September and after flowering.
Pests and diseases include sooty mold, tea tussock moth and scale insects.
In particular, the tea tussock moth can cause a skin rash even by touch alone, so caution is needed.

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