Japanese name: セッコウボク（雪晃木） Scientific name:Symphoricarpos albus
[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 1–2 m tall.
It spreads by producing suckers.
The branches have 4 ridges and droop.
Leaves are simple and opposite, ovate-round to oblong, about 5 cm long, and hairy on the underside.
The leaf margin is entire or shallowly wavy-lobed.
Spikes or short racemes at the branch tips and leaf axils bear about 15 pink flowers.
The corolla is bell-shaped and 5-lobed, with white hairs inside.
The fruit is a spherical drupe 1–2 cm across, ripening white.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
The seed coat is very hard and the germination rate is low.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, moderately moist soil.
It is hardy and tolerates both cold and heat, but dislikes dryness and excess moisture.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground as well, water as appropriate so that they do not run dry.
In spring before the buds open, apply slow-release fertilizer around the plant, and apply slow-release fertilizer again as thanks fertilizer after flowering and after the fruit has set.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
