E.H. Wilson called it something like "the glory of the Chinese forests" - quite a statement considering the competition. I got one from Woodlanders in 1985. It was a small cutting of a plant they got from the Hillier Arboretum. It grew rapidly but I cut it down once or twice to generate cuttings that were given to friends with nurseries, including Heronswood - where a tree there that may have been one of these cuttings is now much taller than mine. This Heronswood specimen I believe has never flowered. They have gotten the species to flower in the much hotter climate of the Raulston Arboretum.

Some years after I planted mine imported seedlings of somewhat varying foliage characters being dispersed by Piroche Plants were seen in local outlets.

Yes bboy, after your pointers, I went to visit the website of JCRaulston Arboretum. They have pictures of their trees. The flowers really look like lace hydrangea and Pinkneya. The pictures also show the tree in full bloom: the plant is entirely covered by the flowers. It is reported to be hardy in zone 5-9. Although Ernest H Wilson introduced the plant to the UK in 1899, the first bloom did not happen until 1980. How interesting.

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You should be saying or showing where you are copying these pictures from, same as with your other posts.

bboy, the pictures are either mine or free for public.

Summers in Britain are too cold for it to flower, or to grow other than very slowly. Better flowering has occurred in southern Europe.

Resin

Cool tree, never heard of it before, though I highly doubt it could survive zone 5!

Species flowered at Wakehurst Place in 1987.

Yes, it's pleasantly fragrant. We have a number of trees ranging from 50 to 70 feet and they're in full bloom now for the first time. Quite impressive.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1003 Gardens Emmenopterys entry

I have bookmarked your botany blog. It is wonderful. The leaves look large, soft and unusual. The flowers are fascinating. Are you the very good looking and beard gentleman in the picture?

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Can you guys go to check how your trees look like now? It has been reported that the bracts do not fall off after flowering. They stay and the color slowly turns to pink, red and then purple. See the image on the left.

Different from UK's experience of rarely flowering, it is reported that local farmers living near the plants describe the tree as: blooming for 9 months and the fragrance can be sensed 10 miles away.

What the farmers are seen are not flowers. The bracts do not fall off after flowering and they turn pink, red and then purple. The picture below is not a show of flowers, but a show of bracts.

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What an unusual plant! I wish more unknown plants be saved before they extinct.

Branch detail -

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