Stachyurus Praecox

This is a rare and unusual plant, which is seldom seen here in the UK. In late winter and early spring, pendent racemes of small, cup-shaped flowers seem to drip from the bare, arching branches, creating a beautiful show. A native of thickets and woodland throughout the Himalayas and Eastern Asia, it is ideal for adding interest to a shrub border during the coldest part of the year. Alternatively the branches can be tied onto wires or trellis and trained to form a wall shrub.