A deciduous shrub 1.2 to almost 2 m tall and as wide; wiry, freely branching, erect stems, brown to reddish brown and sometimes hairy. Alternate simple ovate leaves 2.5–7.5 cm long with toothed margins. Clusters of rosy-pink flowers in flat-topped corymbs at the branch tips; seeds about 2.5 mm in small lustrous capsules. Naturally variable, with nine described varieties and many garden forms.
Habitat
Hillside scrub, streamsides and forest edge, widely planted in park and garden borders and hedges.
Distribution
Native to Japan, China and Korea, with south-west China the centre of its diversity; widely planted as an ornamental in China and common throughout Japan. Absent from Singapore.
Season and behaviour
June to August, the display lasting over a month; it reflowers after trimming.
Photography tips
These are the FilmAnalysis editors' notes, not content from the sources.
The flat pink heads suit a view from above as one block of colour, or a side view of the head's profile; the fine stamens look like fuzz in soft light under a macro. Pink is truest under cloud and bleaches in sun. Bees and butterflies come, so stay with one bush.
Photographic styles
Flat pink heads from above; the fuzz of fine stamens.
None yet. No validated photo recognition exists for this species, so no badge is tied to it: a name in the encyclopedia is not evidence in a photograph.
The illustration is original FilmAnalysis artwork. The photograph is from Wikimedia Commons; its licence and author are under it.
Why it is listed: this species comes from the Flower checklist (GBIF backbone and Wikidata verified). Names follow the GBIF backbone and Wikidata; the facts follow the sources below; photo recognition is not offered.
