Fragrant Snowbell, Big-leafed Styrax

Latin name: Styrax obassia

Etymology: The genus name, Styrax, is of Greek origin and references resin-producing plants while the species name obassia is a Japanese name.

Family: Styracaceae (Silverbells)

Origin: Japan, Korea and Manchuria

Native habitats: Streambanks and lowlands

This lovely nonnative understory tree was planted by Bob Wells, an arborist who was both tenant and caretaker at Herrontown Woods from the 1970s to 1998. He went on to direct the School of Arboriculture at Morris Arboretum. A native relative of this tree, S. americana, grows in wet ground in the southeastern U.S.

Description: Fragrant snowbells have a height of between 20-30 feet and have a pyramidal to round shape. Leaves are alternate, broad egg-shaped and taper to a point. They are dark green,with arching veins on the leaf surface and a softly pubescent underside. They measure between 4-8 inches. The bark is smooth and gray to gray-brown. It may be marked with shallow orange-brown vertical fissures. Flowers are fragrant, drooping bell-shaped white to creamy colored with golden stamens that appear in late spring to early summer. Fruits are 3/4-inch round to oval, silvery-green drupes that appear in clusters in late summer.

Similar species:

Wildlife value: Limited, but the flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, birds, and other pollinators.

Uses: The very hard wood was used to make toys, umbrella ribbings or walking sticks. The seeds were used as an insecticide and dried seed skins were used to wash clothes. Fishermen used to grind up the seed skins, mix with ash and threw the mixture into the water. This stunned the fish and make them float to the surface where they were caught.