6. Egonoki or Japanese Snowbell Tree

(エゴノキ)

Styracaceae

Styrax japonicus

Specimen Size: 28.8ft tall, 11.5in in diameter.

Location: North west lawn of Anderson Hall, standing alone.

Historical Background: This lovely tree has a variety of uses in Asia. The hard and sturdy wood has historically been used to craft toys, the lining of umbrellas, walking sticks, and support material in teahouses. Saponin, a soap substance, was extracted from the dried seed skin while the seed itself was used in pesticides. The dried seed skin was also mixed with ash and thrown into water to stun fish for catching.

Non-Native

Native Range: China, Japan, Korea

Identifying Features: A small beautiful ornamental up to about 30” (10m) in height, distinguished by its beautiful small white 5 petaled flowers which cover the tree as if a late spring snow has happened just as the leaves are coming in. The give rise to small white rounded fruit. Leaves are deciduous, are oval and taper slightly to a point, are cupped and light green growing alternately on the branch. The tree exhibits low apical control and is resistant to pests and disease. It turns a beautiful yellow in fall as the leaves turn.

Identifying Features In Depth:

Form: Medium size tree up to about 30” (10m) exhibiting low apical control.
Leaves: Light green and cupped, more glossy and pale beneath, long and remotely serrated and growing alternately off the top of the branch. Ovular and tapering at both ends, about 3’ (8cm) in length. Leaves stem from hairy 4mm long buds of a conic shape and pale green-brown color.
Bark: The shoot of the Japanese snowbell is slightly hairy and grows in a zigzag pattern. Bark is light to dark grey and relatively smooth with twists and slight furrows up its length.
Reproductive Bodies: Beautiful white “bell” flowers appearing in June and with the potential for attracting large numbers of bees. Flowers are about an inch across (2.5cm) and have 5 petals with orange to yellow stamen and hang downwards in rows along the branches.

Below is the description found for this species on the original Brockman Memorial Tree Tour:

Historic Tree Tour Information: Anderson Hall's lawn has a small tree whose hard wood and petite white "bell" flowers in June make it a lovely and practical tree. Insect pests and diseases avoid this species, and as long as it doesn't suffer summer drought it serves as an excellent understory tree. In the fall the shiny leaves turn yellow making a bright addition to shady Pacific Northwest gardens.

Japanese Snowbell Tree wood is strong and has traditionally been used to make prayer beads and umbrella handles in Asia. The smooth attractive bark has interlacing fissures of orange and brown, making it interesting to view in the winter as well as the summer. Be warned: the flowers are known to attract large numbers of bees, so be careful when viewing the bark up close in the summer time.