Disporum spp.

fairy bells

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

HardinessZones 4–9

Overview

Disporum spp. is a genus of about 20 species of rhizomatous woodland perennials in the family Colchicaceae, native to temperate and subtropical East Asia, from the Himalayas to Japan and south to Southeast Asia. Plants form clumps of upright to arching, often branched stems 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall, clothed in alternate, oval to lance-shaped, prominently veined leaves. Pendent bell- to tube-shaped flowers, white, cream, green, or yellow and sometimes flushed purple, hang in ones, twos, or small clusters at the branch tips in spring. Rounded berries that ripen black, dark blue, or red follow in summer and autumn. D. cantoniense and D. sessile are grown for their arching bamboo-like stems and fresh foliage, the latter often in a white-variegated form. Plants spread slowly by rhizome into colonies and grow in cool, moist, humus-rich shade, declining in dry or sunny sites.

Native Range

Disporum spp. is native to temperate and subtropical East and Southeast Asia, from the Himalayas through China, Korea, and Japan. Plants grow in moist, shaded broadleaf and mixed forest, often on slopes and along streams.

Suggested Uses

Grown in woodland and shade gardens, shaded borders, and along paths, where the arching stems rise among ferns, hostas, and other shade perennials. Variegated forms are grown for their patterned foliage in cool shade.

How to Identify

Recognised by clumps of upright to arching, sometimes branched, bamboo-like stems with veined oval leaves and pendent bell-shaped flowers hanging at the branch tips in spring. Rounded black, blue, or red berries follow. Branched arching stems and hanging bell flowers separate Disporum spp. from the unbranched, axillary-flowered Solomon's seals (Polygonatum spp.).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in spring, often April to May, when pendent bell- to tube-shaped flowers hang at the tips of the new stems. The flowers are followed by rounded berries that ripen through summer into autumn in shades of black, blue, or red. Bloom is modest and set among fresh foliage.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white, cream, green, or yellow

Foliage Description

green, sometimes white-variegated

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 4 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Disporum spp. grows in part to full shade in cool, moist, humus-rich, well-drained woodland soil. Plants need steady moisture and shelter from hot afternoon sun and drying wind, which scorch the foliage. New shoots emerge in spring and can be nipped by late frost in cold gardens. The rhizomes spread slowly into clumps and are long-lived once settled. Most species are cold-hardy through about USDA zones 4 to 9, depending on origin, with mulch helping in colder or drier sites. Little feeding is needed in soils rich in organic matter.

Pruning

No routine pruning is needed beyond cutting back the spent stems as they yellow in autumn or early spring. Frost-damaged new shoots can be trimmed once fresh growth follows. Clumps are lifted and divided in early spring where increase is wanted.

Pruning Schedule

fallearly spring