Spring Frost Distylium. This is one of the most incredible little Distyliums that I have seen and it is a Nurseries Caroliniana introduction. Its first flush of growth in the spring is cream-white leaves with purple stems. As the leaves harden off they slowly turn a medium green. But to me the most endearing quality about it is its almost horizontal growth habit, making it a stunning low front planting for taller shrubs behind. I found this as a seedling of Distylium myricoides which was probably pollinated by a variegated Distylium racemosum that I had brought from Japan. The flower more closely resembles that of D. myricoides than D. racemosum and its growth habit is more in line with D. myricoides with its horizontal form. I think it can reach a height of 3-4 ft. with a greater spread, but could easily be kept at 24 in. with some annual judicious pruning. The first picture is a plant in a friend's garden in Walhalla, SC.
Zones 6b-9
