Kolkwitzia amabilis
Common name
Beauty bush
Family
Caprifoliaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed description
Large deciduous, arching shrub with hanging branches. Opposite, simple, ovate leaves are either entire or with a few spare shallow teeth. Dull green above, paler below. Pink bell-shaped flowers in showy numerous clusters. Fruit a hairy, bristly capsule. Bark light brown, splitting vertically, eventually peeling and exfoliating.
Flower colours
Red/Pink
Year naturalised
1982
Origin
C. China
Etymology
amabilis: From the Latin amare, ‘to love’, amabilis can be translated as ‘worthy of love’ or ‘pleasing’, botany was also called scienta amabilis ‘the pleasing science’