Styrax grandifolius: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Native ornamental
Plant Profile: Styrax grandifolius
Taxonomy: Styrax grandifoliusNames
Bigleaf Snowbell, Storax
Phonetic Spelling:STYE-racks gran-dih-FOH-lee-us
Genus:Styrax
Species:grandifolius
Family:Styracaceae
Styrax grandifolius, often referred to as Bigleaf Snowbell, is a deciduous tree indigenous to North Carolina. In its natural habitat, it thrives in mesic to dry upland forests, often growing in dense clusters.
The tree gets its name from its notably large leaves and can be readily propagated through leaf cuttings. It is categorized as a FACU, or Facultative Upland species, indicating that it infrequently inhabits wetland areas.
Styrax grandifolius Feature Summary
Styrax grandifolius Image Gallery
Tags
#white
#showy flowers
#deciduous
#full sun tolerant
#white flowers
#shrub
#partial sun
#showy
#slow growing
#native tree
#tree
#deciduous shrub
#piedmont
#native shrub
#large leaves
#woody
#spring flowers
#flowering tree
#moist soil
#food source
#NC native
#woody shrub
#flowering shrub
#thickets
#native garden
#mountains
#coastal plants
#summer interest
#spring interest
#Braham Arboretum
#late spring flowers
#fruits summer
#food source summer
#deciduous tree
#FACU
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#native
#dry soils tolerant
#food source hard mast fruit
#butterfly friendly
#Piedmont Mountains FACU
#Coastal FACU
#partial shade tolerant
#flowering
#bee friendly
#flowers
#audubon
Similar Plants
Styrax grandifolius Feature Summary
Attributes
Native ornamental
Eastern Central & Eastern U.S.A
Southeastern U.S.
Flowers attract butterflies, bees, and pollinating insects.
Woody
Leaf Cutting
Wildlife Food Source
Attracts Pollinators
Attractive Flowers
Fruit
In North Carolina, the fruits are available from August to September.
Drupe
Summer
< 1 inch
Flowers
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.
White
Raceme
Spring
Bell
< 1 inch
Leaves
Dark green 4-8" leaves
Deciduous
Green
Simple
Alternate
> 6 inches
Bark
Smooth, thin, dark brown and streaked.
Dark Brown
Smooth
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Native Plant
Deciduous
Rounded
Slow
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Stem
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Flowering Tree
Small Tree
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Styrax grandifolius Image Gallery
Styrax grandifolius Attributes
Styrax grandifolius: Country Or Region Of Origin
Eastern Central & Eastern U.S.A
Styrax grandifolius: Distribution
Southeastern U.S.
Styrax grandifolius: Wildlife Value
Flowers attract butterflies, bees, and pollinating insects.
Styrax grandifolius: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Styrax grandifolius: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Styrax grandifolius: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Styrax grandifolius Fruit
Styrax grandifolius: Fruit Description
In North Carolina, the fruits are available from August to September.
Styrax grandifolius: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Styrax grandifolius: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Styrax grandifolius: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Styrax grandifolius Flowers
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Description
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.
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Color
White
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Styrax grandifolius: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Styrax grandifolius Leaves
Styrax grandifolius: Leaf Description
Dark green 4-8" leaves
Styrax grandifolius: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Styrax grandifolius: Leaf Color
Green
Styrax grandifolius: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Styrax grandifolius: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Styrax grandifolius: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Styrax grandifolius: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Styrax grandifolius Bark
Styrax grandifolius: Bark Description
Smooth, thin, dark brown and streaked.
Styrax grandifolius: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Styrax grandifolius: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Styrax grandifolius Whole Plant Traits
Styrax grandifolius: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Styrax grandifolius: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Styrax grandifolius: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Styrax grandifolius: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Styrax grandifolius: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Styrax grandifolius Cultural Conditions
Styrax grandifolius: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Styrax grandifolius: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Styrax grandifolius: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Styrax grandifolius: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Styrax grandifolius Stem
Styrax grandifolius: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Styrax grandifolius Landscape
Styrax grandifolius: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Styrax grandifolius: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Styrax grandifolius: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
