Versicolor Dichroa. This species has an inflorescence up to 12" across and as proven to be a good garden subject in Atlanta. It has leaves 3 to 4 times the size of D. febrifuga. Scott McMahan of the Atlanta Botanical Garden received seed from Taiwan in a seed exchange of this selection because it was found at a very high elevation. When it gets much below the mid 20's, the leaves will drop. Todd Lasseigne took pictures of this plant in China and it was fully fruited, but ours have failed to set berries. So it may need another clone for cross pollination. I have yet to grow it beside D. febrifuga to see it these two can cross pollinate to induce fruit set. The Dichroas respond to available Aluminum for flower color, with Aluminum inducing a deeper blue color, and a lack of it producing pink flowers. So by applying lime, this will raise the pH enough in the soil to tie up available aluminum, thus inducing pinker flowers. From a few feet away, this plant resembles Hydrangea macrophylla. Zones 7b-9
