|
5-8’ x 4-5’ wide (reaching10-15’ x 10-15’), upright. Flowers color is typically pale pink with a greenish throat and reddish-orange dots at the base. Colors range from white to deep purplish-pink. Broad funnel-shape with 5 deeply divided wing-like petals, slightly two-lipped, very short tube or bell-shaped base, 1 ½-2 ¼”, 4-8 per cluster. Usually 7 uneven stamens, sometimes 5 or 6. Flowers appear before the leaves. One of the first species to bloom in spring, early May in the NC mountains. Leaves glossy, dark green above, glabrous paler green below. Leaf shape: elliptic to elliptic-oblong, tapered at both ends. Twigs only slightly pubescent when young. Winter flower buds appear stalked from the shedding of lower scales, very broad ovate, appearing rounded, dark green finely pubescent, 3/8-1/2” . Not known to cross with any other species. Hardy to -20 F; Zone 5a-9a. |
