Japanese name: ナツロウバイ（夏蝋梅） Scientific name:Calycanthus chinensis
[Overview]
A deciduous shrub 1–3 m tall.
The leaves are simple and opposite, broadly elliptic, 11–26 cm long and 8–16 cm wide, with a glossy upper surface.
The leaf margins are entire.
The petiole is 1.2–1.8 cm long.
The flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils and are 4.5–7 cm across.
There are two types of tepals; the outer ones number 10–14, are pinkish white, and are obovate, 1.4–3.6 cm long and 1.2–2.6 cm wide.
The inner ones number 7–16, are pale yellow, elliptic, 1.1–1.7 cm long and 0.9–1.3 cm wide, and stand upright.
There are 16–19 stamens.
The fruit is an achene, but it is enclosed in an enlarged conical receptacle about 3–4.5 cm long.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
It prefers fertile soil that is well drained and retains water well.
It likes sun, but dislikes dryness, strong direct summer sun and afternoon sun, so it is best planted under deciduous trees or similar.
Rainfall is sufficient for watering unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil becomes severely dry.
Apply fertilizer in winter, and after flowering give slow-release chemical fertilizer or organic fertilizer as thanks fertilizer.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
