The words sino , meaning Chinese and 'jackia', referring to the Arnold Arboretum's John George Jack (1861-1949) along with honors to Alfred Rehder (1863-1949), a staff member of the Arnold Arboretum, Sinojackia rehderiana was developed. Hanging like a pendant, small white flowers appear in the springtime on cymes each having 3 to 5 flowers. Once established, it has some drought and heat tolerant. It blooms in late spring, followed by interesting-looking woody fruit. Afternoon shade should be provided in locations with hot summers. Its native habitat includes thick forest lands. It prefers soil will a high organic content, but will tolerate a wide variety of soils as long as an acid pH and regular watering are provided. Once established, with its roots penetrating the surrounding soils, it will tolerate dry soil and/or drought. Watering can then be reduced. It is also heat tolerant, but afternoon shade is essential. Quick ID White, pendulous cymes of bell-like flowers in late spring The fruit is a woody cylindrical drupe with long 'beak' Flowers are 2.5-3 cm diameter.; 5-6 petals, fused at base Deciduous shrub/small tree with shiny green leaves Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease issues. This plant can have an unkept appearance. It is not typically common in cultivation.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Irregular; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are alternate, simple elliptic to elliptic obovate, acuminate, rotund, serrulate to entire, shiny dark green and glabrous above, pubescent on veins below, 4-12 cm long; buds naked, pubescent, leafy, brown.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The inflorescence is pendulous cymes on short leafy lateral shoots, axillary. Flowers are white, campanulate, nodding, ca 2.5 cm diameter; petals (5-6) elliptic-oblong, fused at base; calyx turbinate with 5-7 lobes.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Fruits are oblong cylindrical woody drupe with a long, acuminate apex, ca 2 cm. They remain on the tree through the winter months.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Stems are slender, brown, pubescent, developing vertical fissures and becoming stringy; pith green, solid.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eastern China
Wildlife value
Squirrels eat the seeds, while bees are attracted to the flowers.