Distylium x Emerald Heights® (Distylium)

Emerald Heights® is an upright, hybrid cultivar of Distylium, occasionally called isu tree or winter-hazel, an evergreen relative of the witch-hazel family originally native to Asia. As with some witner-hazels hybrids, Distylium x Emerald Heights® is a result of crossing with a tree-form distylium, and as such, grows more upright, to about 5' tall and wide with a cascading growth habit. The Emerald Heights® cultivar is named for the plant's glossy, emerald green foliage lacking the distinctive multi-colored hues of some cultivars.

In the winter, Distylium x Emerald Heights® produces small, fuzzy red flowers that attract pollinators, making them an important off-season food plant for a number of species. As an introduced plant, Emerald Heights® has no real issues with pests or disease, and is becoming a popular replacement for a number of boxwood cultivars for low borders and evergreen accents with its low-maintenance growth, compact behavior, dense glossy foliage, and easy recovery from manicuring; although introduced, Distylium presents no risk of becoming invasive. Distylium x Emerald Heights® is a great addition to the garden, as it is resistant to both drought and deer foraging, and is not picky about soil consistency or light level, growing in both full sun and partial shade.