Description
Small, upright, moderately growing, often multi-stemmed deciduous tree or large shrub (H 3-4 m, W 2-3 m). Crown funnel-shaped to rounded. Bark on young shoots olive green, later grey-green to distinctly red-brown, ornamental, it peels off decoratively in wide strips. Leaves broadly ovate (6-8 cm), simple, smooth, at first with coppery red hue, later dark green, autumn colour yellow to orange. Flowers in large, upright panicles (15-20 cm), simple, with crap-paper like petals, light red to pink-red. Flowering period: July-September. Fruits dry, round (1,5 cm), open star-shaped, dark brown. Ripening time: October. It grows well in fertile, sufficiently drained, partly sandy soils, in distinctly sunny, warm sites. Easily withstands urban conditions, heat, drought and salt. Good also as a container-plant. Above ground parts may die in winter (at temperautres below -15 °C) but the plant survives and regrows well.