Zenobia
pulverulenta is a genus with just a single species, a distinctive
member of the
Ericaeae. A small growing shrub from southeastern USA (Virginia, N.
Carolina, S. Carolina),
it is nonetheless hardy in much more northerly locations, to at least USDA
Zone 5. I was given
this plant from someone who has grown it for years outdoors in New
Hampshire. Native
to the coastal plains, in bogs and among low thickets of evergreen shrubs,
this wonderful
shrub is easy to grow in sun and good garden loam, even tolerant of heat
and some
drought, although appreciating good irrigation to be at it's finest.
Said to grow 4'-6' tall,
it is so slow growing that a 6' tall shrub must be very old indeed.
Flowering in June from the old wood, the pendant white bells
are rather plump
and wide open, compared to the pinched bells of Vaccinium and other
allied
Ericaceous shrubs. The flowers have a light, yet enticing
citrus-like fruity scent.
Zenobia pulverulenta is famous for it's striking glaucous blue-green
foliage, although
there are forms with regular green leaves. Forms with nearly blue-white
foliage
present a memorable sight. My plant is seed grown, and appears to be
a mostly
green-leaf form with only a touch of glaucous tendencies. Too bad,
but it's a first
class small shrub nonetheless. In the photo below, I'm holding up a
lateral
flowering branch to reveal the inside of the rotund bells.
[ Zenobia
pulverulenta - blazing late fall color ]
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