frauke at large

Wandered around campus yesterday and today and found some more interesting Chinese plants.

Found a great architectural looking plant with the most peculiar flower buds called Edgeworthia chrysantha. It is a deciduous Chinese shrub and was introduced to Europe around 1845 by a botanist called Michael Edgeworth. The bark is cinnamon-coloured and it has dense nodding clusters of fragrant yellow flowers which are starting to open here. The flowers themselves are clothed on the outside with tiny, silky hairs, making them looking like small, white ‘pompoms’. It does look very peculiar but charming at the same time. The photo below was taken by Darryn. We had to take his camera out to take the pictures, as mine is just not powerful enough to be able to convey all the details. Should have brought my DSLR with me.

I read that the bark of Edgeworthia chrysantha is used in Japan for the manufacture of high quality paper used for making bank notes. Fittingly Edgeworthia chrysantha is sometimes referred to as Edgeworthia papyrifera, the latter meaning ‘paper-bearing’. Although I have read that Edgeworthia papyrifera has white flowers rather than yellow flowers, so it could indeed by a different variety of the same species.

Also liked the way some of the trees are cut like bonsai trees. Makes campus look very stylish.

Am really looking forward to spring now. Can’t wait to see all the buds burst into flower and for campus to re-awaken from winter.

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