Great Plant Pick: Enkianthus perulatus, white enkianthus

Published 1:30 am Saturday, October 6, 2018

What: Enkianthus perulatus, also known as white enkianthus, is grown for its wide, dome shape, which differs from the columnar form of Enkianthus campanulatus. The fall color is a screaming scarlet red, which makes for a real standout in the garden. This compact deciduous shrub has red-tinted young branches with mid green, elliptic- to obovate-toothed leaves. Pendant umbels of up to 10 urn-shaped white flowers appear in early spring. This is a fairly slow-growing shrub, so it should be used in combination with smaller groundcovers such as Blechnum penna-marina, primroses or small-leaved Epimediums.

Where: This slow-growing shrub prefers a location in full sun to dappled shade, avoiding hot afternoon spots. The fall color is most intense with more sun, but plants in shade will still turn a beautiful clear golden yellow with orange tones. Provide a site with rich well-drained soil.

Size: The plant grows to be 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide when mature.

Care: White enkianthus requires regular watering during the dry summer weather. It naturally grows with lovely layered branching, and minimal pruning is needed to maintain a beautiful plant. It is easy to ruin the graceful habit with hard pruning. Consult an experienced pruner or take local classes before attempting to prune.

— Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks