Orangebark stewartia is an outstanding tree for year-round interest. Delicate, white, saucer-shaped flowers dot its braches in June and July. Its dark green foliage becomes a brilliant mix of rich red-orange and fire-engine red in the fall. As the leaves drop, they reveal a cinnamon-brown bark. Also known as stewartia monadelpha, this tree looks great in front of a backdrop of evergreens. It also works well in small yards. Usually grown as a single-trunk tree with a graceful, layered branching habit, it is slow growing, reaching about 15 feet high and 8 feet wide in 10 years. It matures to about 30 feet high and 15 feet wide. No serious insect or disease problems are common to this tree in the Northwest. It grows best in rich, well-drained soil in partial shade and will tolerate full sun if kept out of hot spots and watered attentively.
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