Styrax grandifolius, commonly known as Bigleaf Snowbell is a deciduous tree native to North Carolina. In nature, it can be found in mesic to dry upland hardwood forests, on rocky slopes, and in ravines. It forms thickets. Commonly found as an understory tree in mature hardwood forests. Its white, bell-shaped flowers form as racemes, each having 5 to 20 flowers. Some images indicate that the flowers may be partially concealed by its large leaves. When in full bloom, this is not the case. The showy flowers are quite visible. It's said that this plant will perform better when grown in the garden than what is found in the wild. A controlled environment or location will allow the plant to flower at its best. In the wild, optimum conditions cannot be guaranteed. A heat loving specimen, growing in climates that experience cooler summers may also lead to a less than successful habit. Named for its very large leaf. It is classified as a FACU, a Facultative Upland species meaning it rarely occurs on wetlands. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease issues.
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
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The upper surface is dark green and ranges from glabrous to sparsely pubescent. The lower surface is a soft pubescent with the hairs appearing to give the surface a whitish coloring. The hairs are star shaped.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
White bell-shaped axillary racemes 5-6” with 5-20 flowers. In North Carolina, the flowers are available from April to May. White in color with yellow stamens.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
In North Carolina, the fruits are available from August to September. They contain 2 to 3 seeds.
Bark color
Dark Gray
Bark detail
Smooth, thin, dark gray and streaked.
Stem detail
Smooth ascending branches.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern Central & Eastern U.S.A
Distribution
Southeastern U.S.
Wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies, bees, and pollinating insects. Birds and other small animals use the fruits as a food source.